After what seems like a blink of an eye, but has actually been 6 months in the making, I am sitting in an office at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp...that's right, the very same camp where I spent 8 years' worth of summers and winters as a camper. The last time I was here was circa January 1994. Yikes.
As I spent Monday evening walking around this place I both know so well and am at once completely unfamiliar with, I was struck by the brick walkway leading around and up to the boathouse. BA-zing! These bricks I know. This walk I remember. (No, not in the Shane West/Mandy Moore kind of way..."Now you're in two places at once!") These are the same Purington Paver-type bricks that were in front of my grandparent's house on Academy Street in Galesburg. I always loved coloring the circular designs and parallel lines with my Crayola crayons.
While overwhelmed by my OCD brain swirls of things to do, things that have yet to be done, the anticipation of the season to come, the privilege of experiencing and witnessing grace again and again....mostly I just wanted to cop a squat and color; to escape the adult sense of fear and reality that has become my truth. Since when am I the old-lady teacher consumed with responsibility and obligation? My adventuresome side is still here, it's just accompanied by an unrecognizable white-knuckling that I'm just beginning to wave hello to...as I said to Keller last night, "The thing I fear most is also the thing I'm most hopeful for and excited about..." That applies to so many areas of my being and on multiple levels. Seriously. Sidewalk chalk; stat.
I had a similar rush of memories when looking out the windows on the second floor of the Carriage House, another when passing the steps leading up to the "big field" near what is now called Kishwauketo. Those stairs where nearly a quarter of a mile long when I was ten...
If you've ever been to summer camp, humor me and post your memories here.
1 comment:
I found your blog thru Micah's! Yeah!
:o) Keep on writing. Miss you.
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