Parents often tell me they can feel their hearts pounding when they see the 207 area code pop-up on their phones in the middle of the day during the summer. Today, I received one of those calls from the camp director at Tripp Lake Camp, who happens to be my sister. She told me that my daughter Kate broke her wrist while playing soccer.
I must admit, I have never been on the receiving end of that call. My heart sunk thinking of my daughter spending the next four weeks in a cast. When I spoke with Kate after she returned to camp from the orthopedic office, I was prepared to offer some pearls of wisdom that would make her feel better during this unfortunate day in her life. Before I could go into “dad mode,” this is what I heard from Kate.
“There is no better place for me to heal than camp. At camp, there are tons of activities I can participate in, some of which I haven’t had enough time to try. At camp, I am surrounded by my best friends in the world. I know if I am having a moment of sadness, they will cheer me up. At camp, the weeks fly by so I’m sure I will be better before I know it.”
At camp, we do everything in our power to create a safe and healthy environment. But, unfortunately, accidents do happen. I am so happy my daughter feels the love and support of her camp community and knows she remains in her happy place.
