In 2024, Be Perfect
One of my favourite sports’ movies-maybe my favourite sports movie-is Friday Night Lights.
One reason I love that movie (aside from the amazing performances and story) is the “perfect” speech delivered by Billy Bob Thornton.
- “…for a long time now you’ve been hearin’ me talk about being perfect.
- Well I want you to understand somethin’. To me, being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It’s not about winning. It’s about you and your relationship to yourself and your family and your friends.
- Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down, because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything that you could. There wasn’t one more thing that you could’ve done.
- Can you live in that moment, as best you can, with clear eyes and love in your heart? With joy in your heart?
- If you can do that gentlemen, then you’re perfect.
- I want you to take a moment. And I want you to look each other in the eyes. I want you to put each other in your hearts forever, because forever’s about to happen here in just a few minutes.
- I want you to close your eyes, and I want you to think about Boobie Miles, who is your brother. And he would die to be out there on that field with you tonight. And I want you to put that in your hearts.
- Boys, my heart is full. My heart’s full.”
For me, that speech encapsulates the idea of masonic perfection.
Masonic perfection isn’t about delivering perfect ritual; it isn’t about getting it “right” every-time (or even most of the time).
Masonic perfection isn’t about a masonic career without mistakes.
Masonic perfection is about a Mason’s relationship with himself, his brothers, and his lodge.
It’s about the ability for a Mason to look his brothers in the eye, and know that he didn’t let them down.
That he gave as much as he could to make his Lodge a success.
That he gave as much as he could to make Freemasonry a success.
That there wasn’t one more thing he could’ve done for his Lodge in particular or Freemasonry in general.
If a Mason can do that, with clear eyes and love in his heart: with joy in his heart; he is perfect.
[Can you live in that moment, as best you can, with clear eyes and love in your heart? With joy in your heart?].
2023 was hard.
2024 will be harder.
This is true for both Freemasonry and the world.
I don’t want to get into the details of the challenges both will face, but I think most readers recognise the precarious state of the world, especially politically, as of this date. I also think most readers also recognise the challenges related to increasing polarisation and divisions growing amongst individuals of varying beliefs (political and otherwise).
Freemasonry is not enough to overcome these challenges…but perfect Freemasonry is.
In 2024, masonic perfection will be necessary, more than ever, to heal the world and resolve the challenges it is facing.
In the Friday Night Lights Trailer, Billy Bob Thornton’s coach states: “the hopes and dreams of an entire town are resting on your shoulders…you might never matter more than you do right now.”
In 2024, the hopes and dreams of the world rest on (amongst other things) Freemasonry. In 2024, Freemasonry and Freemasons may never matter more than in this year.
We need to give everything to make our fraternity and lodges a success.
We need to give everything to promote unity, peace, commitment, service, charity, optimism in ourselves and optimism in our institutions, and all the things that make Freemasonry a shining light in what can be a too often dark and challenging world.
To my Masonic Brethren…
In 2024…Be Perfect.
All opinions expressed are those of Square & Compass Promotions and the guest(s), and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Windsor Masonic Temple and/or any other Masonic group.
