Courage
Today we finished our series on “Social Growth”, encouraging the girls to show courage in their friendships. This might not appear to be an important thing, for often we consider friends to be the people we just enjoy being around. What does courage have to do with it?
We suggest the girls consider overcoming their fears that arise from insecurity (perhaps by voicing their inner thoughts in a DMC, or calling out bad behavior or challenging a mean comment). Sometimes we have to go against the crowd because it is the right thing to do. There are LOTS of ways we need to show courage when we are with our friends. It also takes courage to be a friend to a person who is needing a friend, but perhaps is not doing a good job being a friend. We think that a good Greystone girl is one that constantly shows courage in her relationships.
Combining sincerity with courage makes a formidable person. A person who will have an impact wherever she goes. A person who will be a strong leader and a good person.
People are what make camp great. Of course that is true… for people are the best part of any place. Each and every person in this world is a wonder of creation… as we focus on each other camp becomes a place of wonder and delight.
C.S. Lewis is amazing. I have read all of his books and many of his writings and found many worthy insights over the years. One of my favorites is in his essay “The Weight of Glory”:
It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which,if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.
We all know that people should be our priority, but at camp that goal is more easily accomplished. Each and every person, from youngest to oldest, contributes significantly a meaningful way to our experience of the day. We spend most of our time simply getting to know each other, pretty much doing what we will do in heaven. What a great life!
So we enjoyed meeting Emily and Michael Hearn for the first time last night. They gave a wonderful concert, the first of our summer series, in the pavilion due to rain showers late in the afternoon. It was a delightful mix of original music and awesome covers. The girls really connected with her and were excited to find out they knew some of her music already. They also were delighted to hear the details of her first date and, of course, her engagement story. Emily and her sister attended Greystone about 10 years ago… fun to see what the girls end up becoming when the grow up!
We served Truck Drivers Special (Biscuits and Gravy) for breakfast today… you might be surprised to know that your girls like biscuits and gravy. It is really good and most appreciated. Of course, the fruit bar is the main star of the breakfast show. Heaping mounds of fresh berries, melons, yogurt, homemade granola are on every plate… it really is a pretty meal.
We also changed tables today (getting a whole new group of friends to meet) and will do so again every Monday.
Lunch is Chicken Salad sandwiches, dinner is Italian night (baked ziti, stromboli, roasted veggies, cannoli… table cloths, candles, Italian music… a blowout event)
Tonight’s EP is “team meetings” (an organizational time for the teams to prepare for tomorrow’s Challenge Day) and will end with a late night outdoor movie. The giant movie screen is so much fun, I wish we could do it every night (I am a big movie fan).
Thanks again for reading the news and providing your girls this opportunity.