Tuesday Morning Reflection...New Friends, Camp Friends

My Morning Reflection - New Friends, Camp Friends

 

It is Tuesday morning and while the campers are about to rise and embrace a new day, I have been thinking about what aspects of my years as a camper remain with me today. Camp was like my home away from home - the place I learned how to sail, canoe, become a lifeguard; it was where I learned how to make crafty bracelets and pottery, how to sing ridiculous sounding songs and cheer on the top of my lungs because I really wanted my team to win.... it was a place where we are given freedom to try new things, and the independence to explore activities never tried before. But most of all when I reflect on camp it is the new friends made at camp that I hold dearest to me. These friends were both my cabinmates, the older kids who inspired us, and the counsellors who made each camper feel so special. I remain in touch with many of these people today.

 

Camp friends are truly special. Just a few days ago many of us were total strangers, a group of over 60 kids of all ages, from different places, and having different experiences. It does not matter whether we have new hearts, kidneys, livers, bowels, lungs, or whether we live with some form of organ failure. It doesnt matter how many medicines we take, how many scars or scrapes we have. From the moment we all arrive at camp we are truly all the same - one family - one team.

 

At camp friendships can stem in the most unexpected places. Older kids will help younger ones. Younger kids will inspire older kids.  It is not uncommon to see two kids in different groups sitting and chatting, a pat on the shoulder, a high five or an older female camper briading the hair of a younger one. Our older campers have the opportunity to take on leadership roles - sometimes without even realizing it. I have seen a teenage boy sitting down next to a younger child and talking to him about what he tried. Kids of all ages will sit around a table and play cards. Kids who were strangers a few days back will sit around a camp fire and tell stories, share experiences, and come up with silly yet awesome songs, chants, and cheers.

And when we leave camp on the last day, we will exchange numbers and emails, shed tears of sadness and joy, and carry together the bond of being united in our shared camp experience with our new friends for life.

Its going to be a wonderful day!
Yours in camping,
Stacey

On behaf of the camp team