Life Lessons Learned in Summer Camp

As I enter the last week of camp, I find myself contemplating what I learned this summer. Here are some of the great lessons I am leaving with:

1) Things don't always turn out like you predicted. I thought this summer would be particularly challenging due to a change in my position in camp. I loved working in ceramics, and was switched to working in the art room. Entering someone else's domain was not smooth and easy at first. However, Jayne and I quickly found our groove and worked beautifully together. I learned a new form of art, precious metal clay, and made some beautiful jewelry. I also rediscovered fabric dying techniques, such as batik and silk painting, and I loved working in this medium again.

2) Change your place, change your luck. When I switched to the art room, I met so many more of the campers and counselors. Ceramics was pretty isolated, but everyone passes through the art room for any activity involving art supplies, which is almost everything. So, I felt more connected and I love being connected.

3) Opportunities for development are yours for the asking. When I volunteered to lead my first art and meditation alternative prayer group, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. When 65 kids showed up for the first class, I knew I was onto something great. Over the 7 weeks of camp, I have tweaked the program and now have a successful product that I can take elsewhere. Yesterday, a girl who had attended a few weeks ago told me how being in my group helped make her day better!

4) Patience is way underrated. Having a teenaged daughter can be quite challenging, and having her here in camp is particularly difficult. Most of the time, she acts as if I don't exist. I know that it is not about me but about her own need to differentiate herself from me. I can be very frustrated and sad nonetheless. So, when she came to my morning art and prayer group this past week and told me that she recruited several of her friends, I was pleasantly surprised. When she said that I led a good group, I almost fell over. My patience has certainly paid off.

I will talk more about life lessons learned in camp in future blogs.

What life lessons have you learned this summer?