Passed

A second degree ceremony. I have to admit that, for a number of reasons, I did not feel that I had learnt my lines as well as I should. And, for some of the same and some different reasons, I hadn’t managed to make any of the rehearsals. My confidence was not good. But the hour was upon us, and there was no going back. In fact it all went reasonably well. I did need some prompting, in fact normally at the easier bits because I would get through a difficult bit and think “phew” at which point I would then lose track of where I was and what came next. But the officers of the lodge did a good job, they knew their roles well, and it all went smoothly. Of course the ceremony is about the candidate and I think he enjoyed it. As a ceremony it is slightly less “intense” for the candidate and he has more time to work out what is going on around him, it is an opportunity to “drink in” the atmosphere. And then the after proceedings went well - food, drink and convivial company. A pleasant way to spend an evening.