I’ve been in college for four years now and even though college has given me really great life experiences, I miss my childhood. Every day I will insert a Disney Movie related quote into conversation or just burst out into some sort of Disney song.
After eight long months in class doing research, writing papers and endless reading assignments, I’m always itching to go back. There’s nothing like a good water fight after a game of tag.
When I was in pre-school, I went to the same camp I currently work at. I started off as a volunteer better known as ~Counselor in Training~ when I was 12 years old. The reason being, I had no desire to go to a sleep away camp and I was too old for the town camp. I hate to say it but it really started out with “a way to pass the time.”
The reason I began working at the camp may have been just to pass time but very quickly it became so much more. Even though I was so young, being at the camp helped me figure out what it is that I want to do for the rest of my life.
This past summer was the tenth year I worked at the pre-school camp and I say this every year, but this by far was the best summer. You know when things just “click” or you feel like they just fall into place and everything makes sense? Well, this summer it happened and I couldn’t be more thankful.
Each summer is different. Some are more challenging than the others, but each summer is full of lessons I could never get from reading a book. Everyone is different and this includes children too. Some kids have been more challenging than others and I’ve had times where I wanted to rip my hair out, but all of the joy that they bring into my life outweighs all of the challenging times.
Growing up is hard.
Not just because of bills and taxes but because you’re expected to be more practical and unfortunately you start to lose your imagination. But when you’re a kid the possibilities are endless. You can make a rocket ship out of magnets; you can take a piece of tin foil and a silver pipe cleaner and make a pirate hook out of it for “dress like a pirate day.”
I don’t care how amazing technology is today-- it’s the simplest of things that bring joy to a child. Like the excitement of brining a card home for daddy on his birthday, the genuine laughter after they get completely soaked in the sprinkler, or the ear-to-ear smile they get on their face after they say, “tag your it” and run away.
The only thing that makes this even better is the fact you know you were there helping create that excitement, laughter and smiles.
No matter how hard I try, I know that there will always be temper tantrums, whining and crying. That’s the way it is but I wouldn’t give up my job for anything because of the way these kids view the world.
They help me to see the good in people and in life. It may sound silly, but each camp class I have had over these past 10 years, has and will always hold a special place in my heart.
No matter where I end up and no matter what I do, camp will always be a place I call home.
