A Young Mason Speaks Having a hearing impediment may hinder of what was going on and then asked me to you in certain aspects of life but not in Free- serve as in that role permanently when he masonry as the RWM of St Conval 1359, was RWM. Douglas Rathey is testament to. Jim then gently coaxed me into progressive But the road to get that point was rocky to office by telling me I would be great as Junsay the least. By Dougie’s own admission, he ior Deacon and that there was no harm in was a difficult child. trying it out in spite of my doubts. I had “I was full of anger at how unfair life was trepidations about going forward into Senior and acted out because of it. I caused my Deacon but I had a talk with PSPGM Alick poor mother umpteen sleepless nights and Currie in the tennis club after a meeting and did a lot of stupid things I regret. The one he assured me that everyone was behind me thing that kept me on the straight and nar- and the lodge would do all they could to help row was athletics. When I stopped doing me.” that around 17, I felt like I didn’t have anything”. Their belief paid off on 11th January 2020 when Dougie was installed as RWM. That was until close friend and WSW of St “It was the proudest moment of my life. I Conval, Daryl Collins floated the idea of still can’t believe it even now. I sometimes Freemasonry. think back to the moment Alick placed the “Daryl had been in discussions with Alan chain around my neck and still get goosePark who ran our Rangers supporters bus bumps. I’m so proud to be Master of St Conand has been responsible for numerous new val and represent our lodge within and outmembers joining the Craft. I read up on it with the province and I’ll never stop being and decided it was worth a go. We were ini- grateful to the brethren who helped get me tiated together in October 2011 and I was there.” raised in December of that year.” It isn’t all plain sailing in the East however. It was a struggle to adjust in the first few “I’ve always had a good memory so anyyears and Dougie thought about quitting on thing written down isn’t a problem as such. numerous occasions. It’s being caught off-guard by anything “I sat at the back and didn’t really know which isn’t in the ritual book or which pops what was going on for the most part. I was up in open lodge. I ask the brethren to let me making excuses to turn up late and go in know if they’re going to say beforehand so I with the visiting lodge as it was boring sit- know how to react and I’m lucky enough to ting there for around 45 mins as people have such a patient and knowledgable Dewould just talk around me. It was only the pute Master in Alan Sim to guide me through fact I liked the people there that prevented anything I require help with and IPM Stephen me throwing in the towel completely.” Blanchflower is a diamond of a guy who would do anything for me. With those 2 beIt was the Bruce brothers, Past Masters of St side me, I feel confident I can handle anyConval who were the first to reach out and thing which arises.” make life easier for him. “Alan Bruce was always asking what he The wearing of face masks over the past could do to help me and organised print- couple of years has caused more problems in outs of the opening and closing for me as that respect for those who rely on lipwell as getting the secretary to order a ritual reading to help them understand what is bebook for me. He invited me to sit in the north ing said to them. beside the Bible Bearer so I was more aware “The world became a lot smaller for deaf/ Cross Keys May 2022
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