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Picture yourself opening a musty but jewel-encrusted trunk. Run your hands through the "treasure," both the real and the imagined.
Mensa is a treasure to many of us—filled with history, ritual, tradition, ideals, enthusiasm, ideas, friendships, scholarships, the sweat of our volunteers, splendid memories, eccentricities, the e-mail from a friend to whom you haven't talked in a while or a note from a new Mensa friend. Even flawed gemstones, and perhaps a magnificent future, make up our treasure.
The trunk may appear finite—but it is not. There is limitless room inside for additional items. Our lapsed members are inside and are valued artifacts, as are the prized folks who toil for us daily in the National Office. How about the camaraderie in an RG or AG hospitality room? That's in the trunk, too. There's the feeling you get when you see the words "Mensa Select" on a game in a bookstore. Mind Games.® Colloquium. Dig deeper in the chest and there's the excitement when a new candidate passes the admission test and bombards you with e-mail. We also can't ignore the learning and growing experiences from socializing with diverse personalities. And how can we put a monetary value on the friends and members who will raise their hands and volunteer for almost anything? Let's not overlook the past officers—National, Regional and Local (even though we may not have agreed with all of their decisions), who dedicated their time, energy and enthusiasm through the years to try to better our organization, while enduring criticism (which comes with the job of being a leader). Codella, Rubin, Noble, Amyx, Remine and many others all made contributions that are fused into our society. There are also champions who toiled without recognition. And one of our most precious treasures is Dr. Abbie Salny, whose legacy will be remembered as long as there is a Mensa. All of this, and more, is in the wonderful trunk.
There are the services to the local communities. There is also the pride in seeing your local newsletter arrive the same day you get your electric bill—and you read the newsletter first. What about the celebrating of a member's birthday or anniversary? And who doesn't remember the all-night talk sessions about any and everything but particularly how we can improve our society? Reaching down further in the chest, you find a simple thank-you note, and a memory comes flooding back and elicits a smile.
At another layer, there are traditions—Project Inkslinger and CultureQuest®—started, inspired and acted upon by a selfless individual* with no thought of recognition, just a love of Mensa. Mensa traditions are important to both our history and our future. I think I just saw a little yellow map pin wedged into a crack in the trunk.
But every treasure has its flaws. Gemstones can become broken or dull and unpolished over time. It is our responsibility to file the stones and polish them to near perfection rather than criticize their imperfection. A chipped emerald may be the discontented member. An unpolished diamond may be a lapsed member. A missing ruby may be an expelled member who might have just needed a file and a polishing cloth to make it shine. A broken pearl might be someone who took credit for the accomplishment of another. The nicked gold ring could be someone who attempted to rewrite our history. The silver earrings missing a clasp may be someone who intimidated another into believing something the listener knew may not be right. What about the solitary fire opal that seems alone in the corner—an as yet unrealized part of the treasure? The flaws have become part of our character. However, the few Mensa flaws should not obfuscate the exquisite riches that we hold dear.
Sound idealistic? Maybe to some. But we need the mixture of idealism and rationalism. For those who cherish what we have and will work to make it more priceless, it is not simply idealism. It is simultaneously real, symbolic, magical and memorable. You can hold it, admire it, share it, take pride in it, and also visualize what it can become.
The treasure is us—the members, the memories, the ideals, the actions, the spirit, the pride and the symbolism. Inside the chest is the Spirit of the Round Table, which many have embraced over the years. It may have developed a square corner or two, but all of us have a little sandpaper and elbow grease. A little loving work will allow the members to sit at the table with dignity and respect—even with our differing opinions and philosophies—because we know we have something very special. We can use our differences to make the treasure grow.
How will our treasure look in the future? Who will guard and protect it? What kind of leaders will we elect to both preserve and add to the riches? Will the treasure be locked away, hidden so only a few can see, or will all of us be able to enjoy, admire and share it?
You hold the keys to open the treasure chest. Each member has one—a key that opens that precious trunk to the future and character of Mensa.
*Art Dir. note: the individual is TJ Lundeen. |