A Counselor Wish...
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Each session at closing campfire, a representative from each hill (age group) is chosen to present the "wish" for her peer group. Julie Bruce, a first year counselor from Georgia, was chosen by the staff to give the wish at the end of the August session:
When I found out that I was coming to Illahee, I was so excited but a little nervous. To be away from my family for so long and to live in a cabin with no air conditioner just seemed impossible! I had never been to a camp like this and I had never been a counselor. So, I began packing all of the normal things that each of you packed- my flashlight, sleeping bag, and of course, bug spray. But the one thing I have used the most at camp, I didn't even know I had packed.
This thing doesn't cost you lots of money or come in a cute little package. You can't pick it up at Wal-Mart or borrow it from your little sister. I bet you're wondering what I'm talking about. Well, the thing we all use everyday at camp is courage.
Everyone brings courage with her when she comes to Illahee. Some have lots of it, while others only have a little. Luckily, over the past two weeks, we have all had lots of opportunities to get more courage.
The first opportunity came when you met your cabin mates for the first time. I bet you were a little nervous because maybe they were dressed much cooler than you, or maybe like me, you were new to camp and they had been coming to Illahee for years. After you got up enough courage to talk to them, everything was fine. You got to know them and soon felt so comfortable that you were borrowing their clothes for the Olympics and sharing Fruit Loops with them at breakfast."
"What about when you tried an activity that you had never done before-like archery. You were probably scared to pick up the bow and arrow for the first time, thinking that you might shoot yourself in the foot. But with some courage and maybe a little help from your counselor, you did great.
Until three days ago, I had never set foot in a canoe. When I thought about canoes, Pocahontas immediately came to mind. I was certainly not Pocahontas, and I thought controlling that boat might be impossible. But last night, I was part of the canoe formation. Thanks to my courage and my partner, Betsy, I not only managed to make some pretty cool shapes, I didn't fall over into the lake either.
Camp is full of experiences to build your courage. You are safe to try new things that make you scared because no one will laugh at you or make you feel stupid. Each experience is different for everyone. Some may gain courage after performing on stage at Air Band or by conquering their fear of heights on the ropes course. Others may get courage after piling under a tarp at Kuykendall or from trying the Chinese food in the dining hall.
No matter how you gained your courage over the last two weeks, you and I gained lots of it! We have done things that we thought were impossible and now our time at camp is through. We must pack up our bathing suits, Crazy Creeks, and smelly tennis shoes and leave this safe place we call camp. But you know what the first thing that I'll unpack when I get home is going to be-my courage! So my wish for each of you is that you don't leave your courage here at Illahee. Take it home with you so that the next time you meet someone new, you may not be as nervous, or when school starts, you are able to try a new sport. By taking the courage you gained at camp, the things you thought might be impossible before, may not seem so impossible after all.
