Carpe Diem

Seize the day!

The Roman poet Flaccus first uttered those words 2,025 years ago and they have inspired mankind ever since. They now inspire every day at Greystone, I can assure you.

Our first week at camp is often not marked by this attitude, for it appears that there are “endless” days ahead of us and we tend to not feel the march of time very acutely. We float from one day to the next, week adding upon week. Big events come and go, excitement builds, fun grows, friendships deepen, and then it hits us. Camp is almost over!

The girls have shifted to this final phase of the camp experience, just as we expected and right on time. It is seen by the way they are “doing” camp. All (or almost all) of the campers are locked into the moment in a powerful way. I see it in the dining hall, in the Assemblies, in classes, and at Evening Programs… EVERY ONE WANTS TO GET A PICTURE!!! When I walk the camp with a camera, I prefer the long 400MM Nikon 2.8 ultra awesome lens for it’s “reach” and “clarity”. I can’t use that lens very easily these days, for the girls rush up to me yelling “JIMBOY” (code for “take my/our picture”). I am quite literally mobbed for photos wherever I go and as the preferred “big lens” requires at least 15 feet of separation many of the pictures end up being slightly out of focus. This “mob scene” only happens at this point in the summer… the girls want to “seize the day” and get a photo to remember the moment. It is wonderful.

The “Hill Billie Hoopla” was a great example of an end of camp “huge” success. The tents added a sense of drama and majesty to a very silly games night. Everyone expected Sarah to lighten up on the stakes of the first place prize (4 t-shirts to every member of the winning team). Surely she would end up letting every camper have the t-shirts of their choice. NOPE. Winner took all! When the Green Team took the prize at the end of the evening, the celebration was shocking and genuinely over the top. We gave every camper a T-shirt from the night (their team t-shirt), but the winner got the really cool 4 shirt mega-gift. We have never done this before (the event and the size of the winning prize). It will impact the expectations of the girls for years to come!

If you missed the pictures, let me just say one word about the “Gutter Sundays”. The photos of the assembly process were accurate to the majesty of the moment. The kitchen crew had a blast making them and the campers had a blast eating them. It really was an amazing thing to see. I also have to say that the “Thing Cooler” was a fantastic idea. We filled the back of my new toy with ice and sodas… never have I seen anything like it. Jaw dropping. By the way, Cheerwine was the hands down favorite soda. Who Knew?

Today is bright and sunny. A 20% chance of rain translates into a perfect summer day! Bright Blue sky, to be followed by a magnificent sun set, followed by a magnificent moon rise as the fireflies are caught on the pagent court. EP will be a long one: Counselor Talent Show! One of the girls favorite “funny” EP’s… skits galore, all performed with confidence and attitude.

Dinner tonight will be a Spanish Theme… we will make our famous Paella (authentic in every way, it takes about 6 hours to prepare) and croquetas (I never have had these apart from camp, they are to die for). We will introduce it at lunch with a custom song prepared by the guitar class. Delight.

Breakfast Club was on the secret of Greystone: Unselfishness. This attitude marks the Greystone Girl in all the 4 areas of life:

• Social: we focus on others first, wanting to know about them to reach out to the less popular and not try to make ourselves look good by the friends we choose.
• Mental: we focus on the positive of every situation, not putting the priority on how we “feel”.
• Physical: we focus on how God sees us, not on the negative assumptions we are tempted to put on ourselves.
• Spiritual: we focus on God and His Love that makes all other circumstances fade in relative importance.

If we can be truly unselfish… it transforms our lives. A truth worth remembering!

Thanks again for your support. I know that the pictures are a bit daunting on some days (like yesterday). I am serious when I say that the girls were mobbing me in their enthusiasm to get a picture. They are the ones driving the numbers of photos… and it is exhausting! My arm quite literally cramped up with the exercise!! My plan is to give it a rest today.

Cheers,

Jimboy

THE JOKE: Dr. C. (Our Group Leader ABC is a PHD, thus the “doctor” on our staff) went into her favorite watering hole in Charleston. The bar tender knew her well and asked what she would have. Rather than her customary “Ice Cold Coca-Cola” she wanted something new. “Something I have never had before.”. The bartender went into the back room and came out with a dusty bottle. He worked on the drink for 5 minutes, presenting it with flair. Dr. C took a sip and was delighted. Unlike anything she had ever had before: smoky, sweet, ice cold, and refreshing. She asked what it was, to which the bar tender proudly said “It’s A Hickory Daiquiri Doc”.