As we turn our sights to fall, let’s make a pact to remember the way we lived this summer. Think about the best things you did at camp this summer and the joy they brought you. Was it singing daily? Or trying new foods? Was it just being outside? What is it about camp that makes us feel like we belong and help us live in the moment? For me, it is the strong sense of community and the ease of connecting with nature.
Throughout the year, we can use what we learned at camp to create the life we want at home. One of the main things people say they miss about camp is the community. Find a way to contribute to your home community regularly and intentionally. Pick something that is as integral to the community as table setting is at camp. Perhaps there is a weekly park trash pick-up or gardening crew. Local animal shelters often need volunteers to help feed and walk the dogs. You can make an effort to connect with the people in your community by keeping your phone away at local events.
Something we do at camp and on Hante is a debrief that helps us reflect on our day, discuss the day’s challenges, and appreciate each other. Find a good friend or family member (or more) to debrief with each day. You can do Rose/Bud/Thorn or Poopsicle/Popsicle or share what kind of weather you embodied that day.
I admit, nature is harder to find when you aren’t sleeping in an open-air cabin. Luckily, fall is a beautiful and exciting time of year that keeps us reaching for our boots and cameras well into November. The cooler weather allows us to stay dry and the changing leaves make the local parks a completely new experience.
I challenge you to reflect on what part of summer you want to bring with you into fall and take steps to make it happen. Take a picture of yourself doing something for your community or going on a hike and tag us on Instagram or Facebook!
By Anna Lauria, Camp Program Manager