Among my activities was membership in the Boy Scouts; I rose each

Hear the words of Frederick Reines, Nobel laureate in physics and seeker of unseen truths, who reflected: “Among my activities was membership in the Boy Scouts; I rose each year through the ranks, eventually achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and undertaking leadership roles in the organization.” Though simple in form, these words reveal a profound truth: greatness is not forged in a single leap, but in the steady rising through stages of growth, each step preparing the soul for the next. Leadership is not bestowed in an instant; it is earned through years of discipline, service, and the willingness to shoulder responsibility.

The ancients understood this path well. In Sparta, the young boy was not made a warrior in a day—he was trained step by step, tested in hardship, and matured in courage until he could stand among the ranks of men. In Rome, the soldier advanced not by wealth or birth alone, but by proving himself in battle and in loyalty. So too in the words of Reines: the Boy Scouts were not a mere pastime, but a crucible of discipline, teaching the virtues of honor, perseverance, and service. To rise to Eagle Scout was not merely to achieve a badge, but to prove that one had embraced the path of responsibility.

Consider the life of Reines himself. He would go on to co-discover the neutrino, one of the most elusive particles in the universe. Such an achievement demanded not only intellect, but perseverance, patience, and courage to pursue what could not be seen by the eye. These were the very qualities shaped in his youth as a Scout—where climbing the ranks was not about power, but about growth in character. His words remind us that even in childhood activities, seeds are planted that bear fruit in the destiny of a man.

Yet Reines’s reflection also reveals a deeper truth: leadership roles are not only about directing others, but about guiding oneself. To lead a troop, one must master discipline before asking it of others. To guide the young, one must embody the very virtues one teaches. In this way, the Boy Scouts echo the teachings of the ancients—that the leader is first the servant, the example, the one who carries the weight so that others may learn to carry theirs.

History shows us again and again the power of such gradual formation. George Washington, before becoming commander of armies and president of a nation, learned leadership as a young man surveying lands and serving as a provincial officer. Each year, like Reines in the Scouts, he rose step by step, learning from failures and victories, until he was prepared to bear the heavy mantle of national leadership. The small tests prepared him for the great trials. So it is with all who would lead: one must rise through the ranks of life, each step earned, each step a preparation for greater service.

The meaning of Reines’s words, then, is clear: greatness does not come at once. It is formed by small beginnings, by rising faithfully through the stages of growth, by embracing leadership not as privilege but as responsibility. The Eagle Scout is not simply a title—it is a symbol of perseverance, of service, of readiness to guide others. And this symbol carried into the rest of Reines’s life, shaping the way he approached science, discovery, and the burden of truth.

The lesson for us is this: honor the small steps. Do not despise the early tasks, for they are the foundation of all that follows. Seek not only advancement, but the growth of character at each stage. When given responsibility, embrace it, however small, for it prepares you for the greater burdens ahead. And when you rise, remember that leadership is not about self, but about serving as an example for others. For as Reines reminds us, to rise through the ranks and to achieve true leadership is to undertake the lifelong journey of discipline, humility, and service.