History

My days off have each been unique. Most have no adgenda though they seem to just fall into place offering the rejeuvenating time needed away from forms, bandaids, ice packs, first aid kits and the never ending line of kids at the door.





A while ago I had the pleasure of joining old friends for lunch. With this group of high school buddies, its easy to laugh and enjoy just being together. Its always my pleasure to get them laughing. Watching the eyes light up and feeling the old belly laugh. We have years of being together to back our interactions and it always just feels good to be together.





After lunch, without any clear intention, I somehow took a wrong turn and ended up at the camp I attended some 30 years ago. It was a trip to walk in and see so little changed. The uniforms were the same, each kid looked like someone I might have gone to camp with. There was a creeping sense of anticipation as I wandered through this place which had so positively impacted my life.





Oddly, I was invisible. The kids just walked past me engagged in their conversations and the world of camp. This was as it should be especially as became flooded with emotion simply crying for not good reason as I peered into the dinning hall, the jewlry making shed, the spot where I painted my paddle, then melted into a puddle of tears as I sat in the empty (thankfully) boathouse which was my "home" at camp. The degree of emotion around returning was surprising. I'm still no sure I can explain it. I just sat and sobbed and looked at the view, reclaming some part of me I'd left so many years ago.

After the tears dried and I felt fit for company, I wondered through the main part of camp. THe camp has a large asphalt area in the middle of the woods. In the old days, this was for dancing. Now chairs form a large circle. Looking down on the circle, my memory filled with significant moments which occured on this space. Two times during my summers here, the TV was brought out for us to see the news... man landing on the moon and Nixon resigning.
Wow, I saw history take place here. Wait, I was part of history taking place here. I haven't experienced that sort of feeling before;knowing I'd been a part of history and the history was a part of me and this does that mean we are making history for kids at camp? Could it be that we are facilitating significance in these kids lives?