When I was a Girl Scout, I was never the top cookie seller and I still vividly remember that rock wall that I could not get to the top of. But that never made me feel like I didn’t belong or that I had failed because there was always a place for me and my talents. At the end of the day, after that unsuccessful moment with the rock wall, I still sat around the campfire with my best friends and a smile on my face. There was no talk about who made it to the top and who didn’t because that was never the point. We just celebrated being together.
I’m excited to see what my daughter makes of this organization since the experience really can be different for each girl. Will she be the outspoken leader or the quiet support? The adventure seeker on the rock wall or the reserved caretaker coordinating a food drive? I feel comfortable knowing that it will be her choice and that all I have to do is provide that safe space through Girl Scouts so these little Daisies can grow.
Elizabeth Vaughn, an active Girl Scout alum and volunteer, is the Deputy Director of the Public Communications Department in the City of Chesapeake.
