ForeverWandering.com

Another camp ending has come and gone, and even though the season doesn’t officially end until next weekend with the end of two programs I am in one of my conflicted bittersweet moods.

This summer has been one of the toughest of both my personal and professional lives. It has been composed of being away from my wife and kids for a month, the death of a good friend from camp, and a couple of other things that I’d rather not mention here yet. Add a heaping of self-doubt and I’ve got myself a…difficult summer.

But that’s not to say that the season didn’t have its good points. As always, the time I got to spend with campers and staff was awesome. It was also one of the best summers I’ve had as far as quality and dedication of staff.

I compare this summer to a really good movie. Like the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is a great series filled with joy, heartache, laughter, sadness, action, and rest. And while it seems that, at times, that you never want it to end there are times that you wish it could be over. Inevitably, however, no matter what you wish for — it will end. It is a sad thing for the end to come but you find solace in the fact that it was a happy ending.

That is where I am now. The season is coming to an end and there is nothing I can do to change that. As with a couple of other things connected to that — I am a conflicted man (and probably will be for the near future). I am watching the ship sail out and wondering what adventures await me as I stand on shore. I know they shall be grand adventures, but I sometimes wonder what the people on that ship will experience.

So the current adventure is over. After watching the ship sail into the west and the sunset, I find myself wiping away the tears of sadness, turning around and walking to the new sunrise that I know will be approaching after a while. It just means a bit of traveling and wandering through the nighttime.

ad astra per aspera — “a rough road leads to the stars”
“not all who wander are lost” — J.R.R Tolkien

Camp starts later today. The year-round staff arrive today, and the rest of the staff over the next week. The campers don’t arrive for another two weeks, but the “feel” of camp will change today. It will make my home a little more…special.

So, here begins the lack of sleep, the smiles of little campers, and the non-stop ride that is Summer Camp. I’ve been a part of it, being a camper or staff member, for the majority of my almost 28 years. So here I go with eyes wide open!

They’re gone.

All of them.

All 75 campers…all 60+ staff…they’ve all gone home. Part of me is relieved to have a break…the other part of me misses them terribly.

I was around the staff members for between eight and ten weeks. Even though I may not be as good of friends with some of them because I’m the director…I still miss their presence. Each one of them, no matter their strengths and weaknesses, made a good impression on at least one child. They were my extended family, even if they didn’t realize it. Everyone that I’ve met at any camp in my camping life is part of that family.

So…the Summer of 2005 has ended…and while I’m saddened at its passing, I look forward to improving myself over the next nine months so I can be there for my staff next summer just as they’ve been there for me.

So…raise your bottle of glucose tabs…here’s looking forward to the Summer of 2006.