This has been an incredible summer. Six months ago I could not have fathomed the ways in which I would grow, the friendships I would make, the challenges that would befall me. I sit here and can't help but be extremely grateful for this summer. It's because of this summer and an excessive amount of epiphanies that I decided to start a new blog. Rather than limiting my blog to a certain topic, I've decided to write whatever I feel is necessary. Plus, who doesn't like no boundaries in a case like this? I always hated it in school when you had writings prompts on a preset topic. Definitely a struggle.
At the beginning of this year I began to ponder what I wanted to do with my summer. Unfortunately (or maybe, fortunately) I was in a place financially where I knew I had to work. If not, sophomore year at my university would have been out of the question. With that in mind, I'd decided that I wanted to either do an internship at a church or work at a summer camp. I did not want to go home. However, as the months went on and through much prayer and consideration, my heart slowly changed. I found myself wanting to go home, for whatever reason--I just knew I had to. I turned down the internship I'd been looking into, and I'd also been rejected by almost every camp I'd applied to. In fact, the day I came home, May 16, I still didn't know what I was going to be doing this summer. And then I got an email. An email that I believe (though I did not know it at the time) changed my life. I'd been accepted as a cabin counselor at a YMCA camp near Portland, OR, close to home. Talk about a perfect fit!
Words cannot express the anxiety I had the day I went to staff training. June 24. Headed to a place I had never been to and never seen, where there would be plenty of people I did not know. In fact, I wouldn't know anyone. I must say, however, there was a slight part of me that liked the idea of adventure. I do consider myself an adventurer at heart, so my venture into the unknown was somewhat exciting.
To my surprise, one of the first people I met was none other than a guy named Curtis, someone I had gone to middle school with and hadn't seen in over five years. Talk about crazy! The world truly is small, as the saying goes. Never ceases to surprise me when things like that happen. After an intense and somewhat exhausting week of staff training, thus began my six-week trek as a cabin counselor for 5th and 6th graders. Even more anxiety consumed me as I began my first week. Fortunately, as the weeks have gone on, I have figured out more and more of what it means to be a cabin counselor. Whether it meant finding that balance between friend and authority figure or realizing God had had a hand in every detail of my life, epiphany after epiphany hit me over the head:
I want to be more of an adventurer. A staff member from Indiana reminded me that I have gotten too comfortable with the familiar. She came to camp not knowing anything or anyone: not even the area! I'd been fortunate enough to at least be familiar with that! Her boldness and courage to face the unknown encouraged me to do the same. It was also through our friendship and conversations that I'd realized I don't have to be afraid of being alone; after all, I am never alone. God is always there. This is something I have taken great refuge in.
Everything, and I mean everything, is worth appreciating. Whether it's the Australian friend that made me realize the true value and beauty of a human being or the lack of homemade meals, showers, and a bed that made me miss everything and everyone that had been in my life before I came to camp, everything is worth appreciating. Everyone has so much value in who they are, where they live, what they enjoy... there's so much to know about someone! There's a beauty in everyone that I have only recently become aware of. I wish I'd become aware of it sooner. Fortunately I have been extremely appreciative of those close to me, especially since the death of my father in February 2009. The death of someone close makes you learn that lesson quickly.
These are just a couple of the many things I've realized this summer. If I were to detail each and every one, you'd be here for days reading this blog. Needless to say I'm amazed at how much this summer has meant to me. I return to California in three days. I return to my university in six. With an insanely busy yet exciting year ahead of me, I think I'm ready. Actually... I know I'm ready. God's brought me through this season for a reason. With Him, I have everything I need. Let's do this.
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