A COLORFUL RITUAL
International Order of Rainbow Girls
(Sorry I’m late with my poem. My sister is visiting next week, and I’ve been busy trying to make things look as if I finally have my act together. Ha!)
I always wanted to be like my older sister, Judy. So when she was Worthy Advisor of our local chapter of Rainbow Girls, a Masonic organization that still teaches leadership to girls ages 11 -20, I begged to join.
My Turn
Young girls in white cotton dresses
Circling the rainbow-colored stations
Acknowledging first Hope and Charity
Before Faith guided the new initiates
Through the beautiful bow of virtues
Red, orange, yellow
Green, blue, indigo and violet
Learning about Love, Religion
Nature, Immortality, Fidelity,
Patriotism and Service
A Confidential Observer guarded the door
To protect the historic ritual
Developing future female leaders
Daughters of Masons and Eastern Stars
Promising to uphold the ideals
Through service
At my initiation back in the late 1950’s
The letters on the logo above stand for the four symbols of the International Order of Rainbow Girls: B for Bible; F for Flag; C for Constitution; L for Lambskin, representing the Freemason’s lambskin apron.
Are there any other Rainbow Girls in this group?
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story of being in Rainbow Girls. I was involved in a similar girls group in the Anglican Church called Junior Auxiliary. JAs, as we called it, had similar goals, values and virtues. I loved it and know that JAs helped build a solid foundation for a life focused on faith, hope and love. 🌈
Well, first of all, I love the photo! But also thanks for sharing about the "rituals' of the Rainbow Girls. I was never a part, but others I knew were. Those traditions get etched in our brains for life, don't they?