When I stepped outside my home this morning to make my way to the office, I could feel the oppressive heat building just before sunrise. It’s the kind of day that my mother would refer to as a “bad hair day.” The dew points are high. Fortunately, we continue to receive a nice breeze coming across the lake and into Camp Takajo. When the boys came to breakfast, they were met by a team of head lice specialists who inspected every child’s head in between the boys eating a bowl of cereal or a plate of French toast. The good news is, with the exception of your son, the camp was lice-free.
As we approach the beginning of the week and our boys have had a chance to settle in, I have had the expected stop-in’s in my office. There are those who are unsettled because they find themselves sleeping in a bunk with others. The transition from living in their own rooms to a bunk setting can be trying when the creature comforts of home are noticeably absent. Surprisingly, several of the conversations I’m having are with older boys who have been to Takajo for many years. While thrilled to be back, they’re expressing stress and anxiety after such a challenging year.
I’m reminded of an analogy that I have used often with campers when they feel a little out of sorts in camp. I use the analogy of going to one’s doctor when they have a painful earache. They know that they are in the right place to receive the best care but that doesn’t necessarily mean the relief will be instantaneous. The doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to make the pain disappear. However, the pain does not immediately disappear upon taking the medication. The prescription calls for taking multiple doses over many days. Suddenly, one wakes up and notices the pain has gone away. There are times that a camper will come into my office and be in distress. Like the hypothetical doctor, I wish that I could provide something immediately to relieve the pain. The best dose of medicine in camp is to allow oneself to become fully ensconced in the camp program– to run on the fields and play, to jump in the lake and swim, to take healthy risks, and try new activities. These things allow you to become distracted and fully immersed in the program rather than a prisoner of your anxious thoughts.
While we are off to a great start to the summer, we will all face our share of individual challenges. It’s taking us a few days to get into our regularly scheduled program, as we wait for our final PCR test on July 1. Humid weather is not ideal sleeping conditions, but the overriding factor is that we have this incredible opportunity, and we are here to make the most of it.
