Our first full week of our June Session is behind us – and what a wonderful beginning it has been! Our adventure departments (wilderness backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and whitewater canoeing and kayaking) have been out exploring our beautiful mountains on multi-day excursions and day trips, horses are roaming the property guided by young equestrians, our homesteading and gardening programs are off to a strong start, and our valleys are generally abuzz with the joys and rhythms of our collective camp life.
I recently saw an article entitled “The Joy of Missing Out”. The article related the story of a Church in Nashville that undertook a community wide 28 day digital fast and the profound impact it had on the community. My first thought was that the detachment, discovery, delight, and determination this church encountered along the way is shared by our summer camp communities.
In the sweetness of the simplicity of our camp existence one notices a certain shift in the demeanor of our campers and staff. A few days after their arrival there is a lightheartedness that sets in. While our activities allow for real skills growth and our wilderness pursuits provide serious adventure opportunities, there is a childlike mirth and positivity that pervades in our community.
Why is this?
My brother, Jeffrey, recently commented to me that social media and public newscasting can create, in their worst manifestations, a heavy sense of anxiety. He said this is because SM and the news often share a skewed view of the world which is completely out of any individual person’s control. When our sphere of knowledge is vastly larger than our sphere of influence a feeling or sense of powerlessness may come to the surface in our hearts and minds. Take the war in Ukraine, or the potentioal conflict with the CCP and Taiwan, or the heightened conflict in the Middle East, or uncertainty around the trade economy as examples that currently dominate global discourse. It is helpful to be informed about the realities of the world, but it is also helpful to cultivate a knowledge of our personal callings and individual duties in a distinct and superior sense. While our phones allow us near instant access to information, the effect of constantly being plugged in and aware of things beyond our personal control may lead us to feeling anxious, troubled, or lost.
The statistics show that the impact of our digital dependency as a society is impacting the mental health of our young people in the US and abroad.
Camps Kahdalea and Chosatonga and the community within it provide brilliant antidotes to these many anxieties for our youth (see article “Why Kids Need Summer Camp” for more insight.)
What are these antidotes? A framework of faith, consistent friendships, fun (especially when it presents as risky play), and relationships with mentors that model love, humility, and genuine accompaniment are all present at Kahdalea and Chosatonga. These beautiful characteristics create bonds stronger than our anxieties, confidence that life is worth living and celebrating, and hope for the future in the young people who dive into the camp experience.
Campers have a wonderful opportunity to redirect their attention to only one thing at a time, to live our lives simply according to the pleasant chime of our valley bells, and to allow our sphere of knowledge more closely align with our sphere of influence. Everyone at camp has a mission. Everyone sets goals on day 1. for our campers and staff, their daily aspirations and activities are dedicated to striving after their activity and character (also called “heart”) goals. This simplicity of life and environment can provide a valuable reset and needed boost for campers coming off of a tough school year or looking for a place to rest their hearts.
At camp, our campers will hear a message entirely different from that or the world’s buzz and online banter, one consistent with the words of John Paul II: “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures, we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son Jesus.”
Sometimes, it is a joy to miss out on things. At camp, we are radically present to the little needs of our neighbor and our only duty for the day is to delight in the little steps towards our personal and cabin goals. It certainly can be a joy to miss out on the outside world and to rediscover, or discover for the first time, those parts of our hearts that are only revealed in a place like this! Please join us in praying for our campers and staff as we continue to press in to provide the best experience possible for all campers who come through our gates.