A Normal Day

Today was a normal day at camp. And it was fantastic. The weather hit 82-degrees and the sun was shining all day. We had first time waterskiers and first time slalomers. New high scores at archery and riflery. First time down the zip line and 78th time down the zip line. First ever fish and working on catching keepers. Senior campers trying new activities and seniors shadowing* their favorite projects. I watched a great softball game on Dan’s Diamond during 2nd period. I watched Cece teaching a private tennis lesson to one of our junior campers.

I caught a great dodgeball game during UN Day practice. There were rockets built and chess games won and walking sticks whittled. They spent rest period playing cards and playing mafia and just talking to each other from their hammocks. They cleaned their cabins, and pretty well I might add.

*Shadowing is an opportunity for our senior campers to volunteer to help teach activities that they have mastered over their time as a camper.

The kids ate like kings today starting with pancakes for breakfast. They went crazy for the chicken sandwiches at lunch with our own version of the Chik-Fil-A sauce. And Jeremy’s Friday Night dinner of brisket, potato pancakes, applesauce and rolls with honey butter leave everyone feeling full and happy. We celebrated two birthdays with Sandy’s delicious cakes.

We wrapped up the day with our Friday Night Service. The air cooled as the sun went down leaving a picture perfect scene on the shores of Clear Lake. The theme tonight was about being a Global Citizen. Staff from around the world shared with us about their home countries. Luis shared a prayer in Portuguese from the Freemason youth organization that he helps lead back home. Rajan gave a thoughtful sermonette about various waves of refugees arriving in London, the trials that they faced, the communities they built, and the gifts that they brought with them to British culture. And we had a beautiful keylog ceremony, with many keylogs expressing gratitude for their friends, counselors, trip leaders. And there were many keylogs to send strength and love to everyone in Highland Park and everyone affected by Monday’s shooting. And, to conclude, we put our arms around on another, sang Forest Green and Taps, and recited the Camper Benediction.

Pine Manor stayed behind to put out the fire. They recounted funny stories from Canada and remembered funny jokes from years past. They complained about having run out of hot water in the showers, and that their counselors confiscated their hidden candy. They hatched plans for the coming weeks and talked excitedly about United Nations Day, College Days, the North Star Games, and many other things to come.

There is so much beauty in a normal day at camp. So many achievements and moments of joy. While we focus so much on the extraordinary things that happen here at camp, it’s important to remember that the ordinary here is pretty extraordinary too.

Today’s Grace:
“Institutions and integrity are both central pillars that underpin our great democracy.”
“Let’s be clear, not doing something is an active decision.”
- Sajid Javid