Currently I am in my happy place. If you know me well then you recognize the image above and know exactly where I am and may even know why I’m here. For those who don’t, let me share.
I am sitting in a guest cabin at my favorite location ever, Camp Mont Shenandoah. It’s rest hour and so I’m getting some time to sit and reflect/share why I’ve come back to visit as a guest counselor. It’s simple, I need to touch base with my roots.
I am blessed in my life to have many places that I’ve called home, Baltimore, JMU, Richmond but Camp stands above the rest. It’s a place where you get an hour every single day to sit in silence and just be. Many girls take naps (I most certainly did as a counselor and camper) but others will write letters, journal or just be. What a blessing. I don’t know about you but I’ve come to a point where I spend most of my day rushing through, trying to get everything done and be as efficient as possible. My time off I try and find other things to keep me entertained, but rarely do I sit in total silence and just be. No electronics, just me, and my own quiet thoughts. It’s so refreshing.
I’m at an age now where life is fast and it’s busy and at times really stressful. Being here for the next three days means that I get touch base with my true self; my child like, naive, imaginative and free self. The one that I grew into within these hills that set me bounding forward into my future with confidence and a clear vision of virtues, goals and how to be a positive influence on the world. Visiting camp means that selfishly, I reunite with those strong virtues I hold so dear but in the age of efficiency and work may have faded into my peripherals. Virtues like bravery, reverence, helpfulness and especially the joy of being alive.
I’ve only been here a few hours and have already cried twice (happy tears, obviously), and can’t wait for more fun and reflecting to come. For now, I gotta go, the bell is about to ring and I’m going to DANCE!
Love ya bye.