July 22
We changed tables again this morning. After this change, mealtimes typically become more suitable for an elderly gentleman like myself (at least for a few meals). In other words, I can finally hear what others at the dinner table say because the campers aren’t loudly talking to the other girls (I blame it on the campers; Margaret blames it on my reluctance to get hearing aids). Not this time. It was as deafening as ever. I smile… it’s a good sign.
The Dining Hall volume is a barometer of how camp feels. Mary Gray’s secret sorting process for assigning tables resulted in mostly mixed-up (no friend) tables. Many tables had campers who were not known by everyone else at the table. Typically, such a situation would cause the girls to quiet down as they tenatively found their voice in a new setting with new people. Today, they didn’t waste a minute… everyone got straight to learning names, hometowns, answering the dog/cat questions, cabin numbers, birth dates, house numbers, cities, states, school names, and so forth. The more they talked, the louder they got. Nobody has yet figured out what data field she used this time, but the process reveals the truth about this community, which is worth pointing out. We are confident that we can have lively conversations with ANYONE at camp.
This confidence is combined with a shared appreciation for the little things that define a camp day, little things like the sound of rain on a tin roof during rest hour, the view of mist rising from the mountains at flag, the smells of bread baking in the morning, and wet mulch in the afternoon. Little things are now precious, not because of the thing itself but because of the people who have shared the experience of seeing/smelling/appreciating that particular thing. It allows every conversation to find common points of deeply felt emotional connection quickly. Our shared appreciations partially explain what happens when we wear a Greystone shirt when traveling. The shirt elicits a quick question: “Did you go to Greystone?” and leads to a rapid-fire conversation that is not that different from what happens in the dining hall when we change tables. The shirt leads to new friendships in new places, joy and light shared, and memories cherished once again.
Todays Breakfast Club emphasis on quiet still contemplation is worthy of this moment. We are experiencing a few perfect days after four incredible weeks at camp. We feel good… it is a beautiful moment that is worthy of consideration. Tim Keller spoke on the subject of meditation 23 years ago and his sermon on Psalm 1 is as relevant today as it was back then (40 minute sermon, I recommend). Taking time to consider something carefully is not something we do very often. Our attention spans are limited to 1 minute, two at most. Considering a work of art, a beautiful landscape, a bird, a flower, or whatever you find appealing at this moment is limited by our restless minds. We encouraged the girls to take time to consider what they love about camp so that they might come to a deeper understanding of why they like it. Anything we love is worthy of deep, lengthy consideration. Ten minutes of consideration is surprisingly hard to do. Try it sometime; you might be surprised at what you discover about what you thought you already knew!
With that in mind, you should listen to Sandi’s Morning Assembly Devotion today. It is a very well-considered, 11-minute talk on how to take that feeling of calmness, peace, and security with us right now when we leave camp in a few days. Sandi’s relationship to the campers (particularly the older girls) is profound. Over 100 Senior campers choose to take her Bible class… her words carry weight around here, I bet you will enjoy hearing the talk.
No more time… thanks for reading:
- Breakfast Sausage, Egg, English Muffin sandwiches
- Joke Brazilian
- Lunch Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Dinner Hamburger picnic
- EP Senior Play Matilda
- Weather Cloudy, 81 degrees, chance of rain