This is my third year on summer staff and I come into this summer as a completely different person than either of the past two.

My first year on staff I wrote this reflection about being myself and learning that it was enough to just be here and be me. Taking that into the coming year was a brilliant adventure with my first time overseas and the bible verse that framed that summer following me all the way to South Korea and bringing back the memory from camp there.

Last year I talked about the diving board of camp into life. Seeing the summer as a final rest before I dove into my final year of college and figuring out life after that.

This year I have come as myself and made the jump, and the biggest discovery I feel is being comfortable supporting others while still being on the way down. I had a good and tiring year finishing college, and spent several weeks traveling just before coming to camp. I joined the staff 4 days after I got back from my trip to Europe. The transition was small and didn’t give much time for debrief, but in many ways the pattern of camp was a familiar coaster and the transition felt right even with its difficulties.

Looking back there was a lot of processing to do while coming back and turning around right into another intense and demanding space. I was still tired the first few days and working on jobs for next year and other details of life that needed to happen around my camp schedule brought with it many hurtles. Still I came and found that with all of the crazy jumbles I brought with me, the rhythm of this place lulled me along into the summer like it always does and connections and healing worked its way through as if the peaceful woods were saying it was still there to cheer me on and support me no matter what I brought within me under its leaves.

Now after securing a job for next year and getting to know the new faces here on this year’s fantastic staff, I have finally managed to relax into the space and let camp teach me what it knows best, how to breathe.