This week, we sit down with Darin A. Lahners to explore the beginnings of his well-known series, What to Expect When You're Expecting: Worshipful Master's Edition. Drawing from his original reflections on preparing for the East, Darin discusses the nerves, doubts, hopes, and early lessons that shaped his first journey as Master. We trace the foundation he laid in that first piece (learning to relax, communicate, believe in oneself, plan with purpose, and invoke the blessing of Deity) and look at how those themes continue to resonate across his later writings. This conversation offers a candid look at leadership, expectation, and what it means to take on the Oriental Chair for the first time.

This week, we sit down with Darin A. Lahners to explore the beginnings of his well known series, What to Expect When You're Expecting: Worshipful Master's Edition. Drawing from his original reflections on preparing for the East, Darin discusses the nerves, doubts, hopes, and early lessons that shaped his first journey as Master. We trace the foundation he laid in that first piece (learning to relax, communicate, believe in oneself, plan with purpose, and invoke the blessing of Deity) and look at how those themes continue to resonate across his later writings. This conversation offers a candid look at leadership, expectation, and what it means to take on the Oriental Chair for the first time.

Thanksgiving carries warm traditions, shared meals, and a sense of gratitude, but this week we explore a lesser-known angle. Is there a hidden thread connecting the holiday to Masonic values or early American Freemasons who shaped the culture around it. We look at the symbolism of gratitude, the role of reflection in our craft, and the surprising ways that, without the Freemasons, Thanksgiving wouldn't exist!