Today is not that day.  We have been going all-out, all-day.  After a full morning of activities and meetings, we are in the middle of an afternoon that will feature 

• Cookies for Rookies (a special "thank you" for our youngest campers)
• Cookies for Minis (OK, I know it does not rhyme, but they still like the cookies)
• A banquet for our graduating Senior Campers.  They have returned from their three day retreat with their mission statements.  We will serve them a special feast and then have them read the mission statements to us.
• Skit night.
• Fireworks.
• Pizza party.
• Final game of "war lords". 

The day will end around 11.  I suspect that your humble narrator will be spent by then, so let me simply give you this thought:

It has been a rare joy and privilege to have your children in our lives.  I certainly hope that we have helped them grow and become more capable.  From what I have seen, there has been tons of growth wrapped up inside days and days of fun,

But they are not the only ones who have grown.  Everyone in our community has learned important lessons during these three weeks.  Let me share one:

A counselor really struggled with one of her campers for 10 days or so.  She reminded her of a person that she deeply disliked as a young girl (the other girl had been really mean to the counselor when they were 12).  While she knew that the camper and the previous acquaintance were not the same person, the mannerisms were too familiar.  But she did not quit on the camper.  Each day, she would ask a different person to list the traits of the camper that they loved the most.  

In the process, something really cool happened, "By the end of the second week, I realized that I really loved her. I mean in a deep and powerful way.  Not only did I overcome my initial struggles, but I felt like some of the scars I developed as a 12 year-old felt healed.  I had held onto my frustration and irritation more than I had realized.  My wonderful camper helped me overcome it.  What a gift!"

I know that a loving community makes everyone within it better. Hearing this story, I feel even better about this session. It has been a true gift

Steve Sir