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The Girl Scout Law is made up of guidelines to live by that help us relate to other people and the world around us in positive ways. The Girl Scout Law can be called an “ethical code,” because many parts of the law include moral values, or ideas of right and wrong. When you say the last phrase in the Girl Scout Promise, “. . . to live by the Girl Scout Law,” you promise to try to live by these guidelines.
□ B.1 Do Your Best
Back in 1917, Girl Scouting’s National Secretary, a man named Montague Gammon, wanted to drop the word “try” from the Girl Scout Promise, which would commit a girl to always living by the Girl Scout Law. Founder Juliette Low corrected him in a note, writing that “no girl should promise definitely a thing she may not be able to live up to; ‘to try to do it’ is all we ask of her.” Juliette Low understood that some things beyond a girl’s control might prevent a girl from fully succeeding when she tries to serve and help others. She also understood that the first steps in following the Promise and Law are for a girl to try, and to do her best. In past years, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides would remind each other, “DYB, DYB, DYB!”, which sounds like “dib, dib, dib” and stands for “do your best.”
What does it mean to do your best? How is doing your best different from “being perfect”? What does it mean to do your best instead of someone else’s best?
Describe a time when you did your best. How did you feel?
□ B.2 Creeds
Look up the word “creed” in a dictionary. Unitarian Universalists have no creed that we must accept. Instead, UUs hold many different beliefs about God, life, death, and other important topics. Most UUs feel it is fine to change our beliefs when our experiences and thoughts lead us to a new, different view. Read a pamphlet, an article, or a book on UU beliefs. Ask your advisor or another adult any questions you have about what you read.
HINT: You might find several pamphlets near the front door of a UU congregation’s meeting place; you can also read pamphlets on the website of the UUA’s Bookstore by typing “pamphlet” and selecting ‘keyword” (not “title”) in the online search box.
Which of the UU beliefs described in your reading do you agree with? Are any confusing or unclear? Which beliefs are most and least meaningful to you? What else do you believe? Is the Girl Scout Law like a creed? Why or why not?
Make a list of some of your own beliefs or use music, art, poetry or another creative way to express some of your beliefs. Your beliefs might include some of the UU beliefs you read about. They might also include other beliefs that do not appear in your reading.
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