Why did you become a Freemason?

Message-ID: <000601c19e4f$198d9a40$12efc7c7@symons>
From: Steve Symons <fold_band@hotmail.com>
To: <masonry-ask@mit.edu>
Subject: Why I Joined Freemasonry by Steve Symons
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 23:31:48 -0600

My name is Steve Symons, I'm 18 years old, a senior in high school and I also play in a heavy rock band. One thing I forgot to mention is that I am a Master Mason raised last July in Lebanon Lodge #34, in Langdon, North Dakota, one week after my 18th birthday.

All my life I have been hearing my father talk about Freemasonry, seeing him go to "Lodge", have his Easter Breakfasts and so on and so forth. I was always interested in the Craft; I even remember a time when I asked him what the Square and Compass meant. I was young at the time, and he explained it the best he could to a little guy who didn't even understand that a square could be anything but a shape. During high school I saw and experienced many things with my Dad. My observations of him have shown me that he is very honest, hardworking, and modest. He has so many good traits that I hope when I am older I can say I share them. I slowly realized that the company that he kept also had many of these same traits. This made me even more interested in Masonry. So eventually I received "the talk" about Masonry to show me what it was all about. It sounded like something that could do so much for me, my family, my wife and kids (hopefully some day), my career and my life.

So I put in my petition.

The night I was raised, before closing, my Dad asked if he could say something. All of the Brothers laughed because my Dad is never for "a loss of words", which is a direct quote from a Brother. Well, he stood up, and I noticed he had tears in his eyes. He had been elected to receive his 33rd degree earlier in the year, but he said that this day, his only son's raising, was the most important Masonic day of his life. This made me feel the deepest love that I had ever felt for my Father. He's been a great Dad, and he introduced me to something that will help me be the man that he is, someday. He made me a third generation Mason. Thank you DDGM Glen Symons--Dad.

Since I have joined, I have grown closer to my Father, and my Brothers of all ages, which I admit, it's kind of weird making friends with 30-80 year olds when you are 18. Two of my closest friends asked me about Masonry last summer, and they were both raised last month, and I was the top line signer. They both have qualities similar to mine, so I knew they would make good Masons. I have become closer to my friends, who are now my brothers. When I visit other lodges, my Brothers treat me like they've known me for their whole lives. I get respected without having to prove myself, because they already know what kind of man I am striving to be.

Since I am 18 now, a "man" under the law, I decided I had to do something to break out of my shell. I thought a tattoo would be perfect. I had to think long and hard about something that I could put on my body that would be there for the rest of my life. It had to be something with meaning, so I decided that the Square and Compass minus the G would be perfect. Well, 50 minutes and $70 dollars later, I had the exact square and compass that you saw on this homepage. Every time I see this tattoo, which will ALWAYS be on my upper arm, it reminds me to be the most honest and moral man that I can possibly be. I just hope it keeps me on track; some of those college girls look pretty cute!

In closing, no other Fraternity in the world does so much for the community or its members, and I am proud to be a part of it.

Fraternally,
Steve Symons