By Bro. Shawn M. Gorley
From The Working Tools Magazine

How often do we get asked, After being asked this myself, and giving a very general answer, I thought about how complex a true and complete answer to this question really is. Here is the answer I came up with, and I hope you like.

Freemasonry is a wonderful place where men of all ages and backgrounds can come to meet as brothers in the truest sense of the word, it is a place where a man’s word is still law and a handshake means more than one can explain.

It is a place where men help each other no matter what the task, and the goal of a man is the goal of the group, and the goal of the group is the goal of a man.

It is a place where the good become better, the wise become wiser and the givers give more.

It is a place to help and give, yet you will will receive more from it than you could ever put in, but only if you heart is pure and your intentions unselfish.

It is a place of peace and understanding and a place to learn, grow and build yet you never take on these tasks alone.

It is a place of friendships and fellowships that in other circumstances may have never been possible, where equality is the key, and we call each other brother and mean it.

It is a place of secrets and knowledge that others confuse, yet those secrets and knowledge are so easy to understand.

It is a place where we use symbols, philosophies and history to learn and remind us to stay on the right path.

It is a school of life and a school of love and understanding, where men are taught to live a better way, a just way, and a more understanding way.

It is a place without judgment or cliques and you are never judged by material possessions, political or social status and you really are equal.

It is a place of enlightenment and acknowledgement, where you can educate and research, or just arrive and eat a good meal in great fellowship.

It is never ending in the sense that nothing built is ever truly finished.

Most of all it is not just one place, not a mere building with four walls and a roof, it is on this place we call earth and it opens it’s arms and welcomes you in with a huge heart and a caring and understanding soul.

So the next time someone asks you what Freemasonry is, see if they have a few minutes to spare, you never know, you may, make a new friend or your next new brother, but, when you answer this question, take some time yourself to reflect and remind yourself just what it is you are a part of.

(Reprinted in The Small Town Texas Mason E-Magazine)