There is nothing on Earth like a summer camp on a Sunday. The campers are all present after a busy week of paddling excursions, hikes and overnights, and biking or climbing expeditions. Everyone is together- and everything has slowed down. Today we saw counselors pausing to let the youngest campers track a butterfly for longer than any of us could stand during normal life. We saw whole minutes- not moments- pass while the entire camp sits in the woods to listen to the trees and watch the dappled light. When do we simply sit? When do we really just sit and soak up the sounds and smells and feel of the trees in our midst?
These campers are getting the time, and space, to simply BE. What a precious gift they’re receiving- and what precious gifts they’ll return to the world for having been fed this steady diet of goodness. They’ll know they deserve a minute to gather their thoughts. How many of us need this reminder? Ask your camper when they get home what it’s like to pause in silence at the Green Cathedral that is the simple outdoor chapel. No paintings or art or architecture of any kind- and yet, the beauty and truth of God’s design remains front and center. Sundays were made for resting, and if you’re very, very lucky, it means resting in the woods with your friends.
