Thursday

One week from today you will be re-united with your campers… a moment of sublime joy and layers of satisfaction that will only gradually be discovered. I am already anticipating that reunion in my own family, for I have two campers who I can’t wait to “see” again (they don’t really talk to us during camp, an attempt to have a normal camp experience). That first reunion from Main Camp is a surprising one for many parents for they are not prepared for the depth of emotion. Tears of Joy and tears of sorrow… the two go together when a reunion and a break up occur. That is what is about to happen.

Family reunions are the BEST… campers appreciate EVERYTHING more after a summer at camp. They appreciate your questions, your hugs, your eyes lingering on theirs… everything that used to be irksome seems to become a welcome experience (for at least a little while). Sibling relationships are sweet, affectionate, and kind. All is well with the world, I LOVE that moment. But the day will be much more than that. It will also be marked by a deep sense of sorrow.

Sorrow that the time with her camp friends is past. That the magical chemistry of this summer will not ever happen again. That something profoundly good has now ended. It is a real “grown up” feeling, one of maturity that develops character. The lessons of camp slowly rise in the murk of swirling emotional currents and those lessons become shining beacons of reference for they connect to a time when all was well with the world. A time of deep satisfaction and confidence arising from a community of love.

This emotional moment is gut wrenching and exhausting to both camper and counselor alike. From my experience, it is the most intense for the oldest campers but quickly followed by the cabin counselors. My Catherine is a cabin counselor and she quite literally mourns the loss of “her girls” after every session but she is physically out of commission when Main Camp ends. She is not alone. Many of our counselors are out for two solid days after Main ends, a fact we have taken note of and thus the different closing day schedule (ending Thursday rather than Friday). We need the extra day in order to effectively run August Camp.

This emotional end of camp is felt by all, not least of which the head staff. Margaret could barely get through a reading of Scripture last night (I Cor 13). As she read, she turned to the Seniors and caught the eye of our daughter Caroline (who was crying at the time). It is rare to feel this deeply in the course of an entire year, we are feeling it daily. The emotional toll is hard to explain. It is a HUGE blessing.

The weather is lovely and hot. The high 80’s temperatures are drying the ground, but also generating those famous afternoon showers that are famous around this part of the country. The air is heavy with humidity and we are glistening as we run around and enjoy our classes. A big storm hit Greenville SC yesterday afternoon, we could hear the thunder rolling through the mountains but all we got was a light cooling rain shower during EP.

Ceramics is doing Raku firing today, a process of quickly heating pots to 1700 degrees then smothering them in a covered trash can filled with paper. The heat of the ceramics makes the paper smolder in the airless environment and after just a few minutes the hot ceramics are allowed to have oxygen “color” the pot in a surprising way. The colors are very cool, a look only possible with this type of firing… we do it only for a couple days. The girls love it!

Thank you for your support of this place and your understanding with your girls. That you are taking the time to read this now will better equip you to understand the reunion next week. I think camp is the best thing our girls do. It is more valuable than any other educational experience available… shockingly effective and good. It is SUCH an honor to do this work. Thank you.

Jimboy

PS We will be broadcasting live tonight at 7:30 from our Pavilion Theater on Kindness Lane. The Junior Production of “Annie” promises to be a wonderful event. I have heard the girls practicing for weeks and their talent is really amazing. We will keep the recording of the live broadcast on the same location until Saturday, so if you are busy you can check it out later. On Saturday we will do a live broadcast of the Water Show and on Monday we will do one of the Senior Play (“Little Women”). We are gradually getting better with this technology and hope to provide you a very good “seat” at these wonderful events.

PPS THE JOKE: A man skips out on Church, choosing instead to take a nice hike in the deep woods. As he is walking and enjoying the sunshine, he hears a noise close by and is shocked to see a GIANT BEAR come out of the thicket. The bear has FANGS, CLAWS, and SHARP TEETH. His eyes are red with fury and the man decides to run for his life but immediately trips and falls on his face. The bear is immediately upon him and the man closes his eyes and prays: “Lord, make this a Christian Bear”. Immediately the bear becomes kind and gentle. The man finds himself hugged and his hands grasped in giant paws. The bear looks really happy then turns solemn as he bows his head in prayer. The bear then says “Lord, for this food I am about to eat, make me truly grateful.”