Waterfalls are very wondrous things. They are hard to look at without feeling at least some sense of awe. The first time I remember seeing a waterfall, I couldn’t take my eyes away from it- I could hardly believe that they were real! There is also wonder in the metaphor of a waterfall. I find it awe-inspiring, how a smooth, flowing river can rapidly turn into a cascading stream of energy. Water gains more and more momentum as it travels through the waterfall system, a sort of ripple effect. I have experienced wonder cascading through Camp Friedenswald this summer like a drop of water moving through a waterfall.
This summer, we are encouraging everyone to put on their “wonder glasses” to view the world. I have found that once I, and the rest of the year-round staff, put on our “wonder glasses,” we have felt more empowered to give others “wonder glasses” of their own. This has created a chain reaction, and now the peaceful woods is full of people experiencing wonder!
I first put on my “wonder glasses” when I jumped into Lake Shavehead for the first time. This was in early May, so I was dreading the feeling of submerging myself in the cold. I didn’t want to back down, so I tried viewing the cold lake water through a different lens. I thought to myself, “I wonder what emotions this cold plunge will bring about?” My first emotion was agony, but once that subsided, I noticed that the water was cold enough to shock my body into a heightened state of awareness. As I emerged from the water, I looked around and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that the lake exists and that I get to live so close to it.
A few weeks after I jumped into the lake, leadership staff arrived at camp. Their first activity was a scavenger hunt that required them to do team-building exercises along the way. The last prompt instructed them to hold hands as they walked back to the main office. Looking through the window by my desk, I watched them come back to the office, walking in a circle as they all held hands. They opened the two double doors, hands tightly joined, and would not let go of each other’s hands until I told them to. They informed me, excitedly, that they began their hand-holding circle as a human knot, and undid it as they walked from the beach to the dining hall. Seeing the leadership staff engage in the hand-holding prompt so earnestly was a moment of wonder for me. I imagined that they would hold hands begrudgingly, so witnessing their enthusiasm brought a wide smile to my face. Knowing how intentional about bonding they entered the summer filled me with great hope for both the summer and the future of the world.
Later that day, we gave the leadership staff their “wonder glasses” and had them put them on. One of the ways they experienced wonder early in the summer was through the summer staff, who came a week later. On the first night of orientation, during some downtime, the summer staff chose to all sit together in the Sandhill lounge. Without knowing each other or being instructed to, they all began talking and bonding with one another, no phones in sight. One leadership staff, Lucas, was working on his computer in the back of Sandhill, when he looked over and saw this sight. While nothing especially magnificent was happening, he was struck by the instinct the summer staff had to connect with each other in such a raw, human way, from day one. It is becoming more and more rare to see a large group of young adults talking to each other without a phone in sight, and it filled Lucas with wonder.
During orientation week, we explored how to nurture wonder and awe, and the summer staff ended the week also having a pair of “wonder glasses.” Graciela, a first-time summer staffer, felt a sense of awe at how much her high school campers loved the song “Seeds.” They quickly identified it as their favorite song, and sang it together all the time. When a tornado warning sent us all into storm shelters, they sang “Seeds” to pass the time and to remain calm. It is amazing how much comfort, joy, and humanity a song can bring to people. Witnessing a group of people, especially youth, latch on to a song so strongly is a special thing to be a part of, and for Graciela, it was a moment of wonder.
Now that everyone who has come to camp has put on their “wonder glasses,” moments of wonder are flowing abundantly. Here are some responses campers have given to the prompt “How did you experience wonder and/or awe this week?”
“Every time I looked at the lake I was in awe of the way the water moved and reflected light. Also, looking at the lushness of the forest around me was incredible.”
“Waking up to run at 6:30 am and being able to see all the wildlife”
“Sitting on the dock at the last campfire because I was seeing where I got baptized”
“Hanging out with my cabin this week. We all connected really quickly and I think that’s amazing”
“Beach campfire when we just sat and looked at the sky and stars and I realized how small I was”
“Being able to sing and have so many different forms of music this week made this week extremely full of wonder”
“Through friends, people, nature, music, worship, and many other ways; camp is always a wonder-ful experience.”
As campers come and go each week, we have seen them gain a renewed sense of appreciation for the moments of wonder and awe happening all around them. Now that they have their own “wonder glasses,” they can share their wonder with others, one drop at a time. I wonder how far their wonder will reach!
