Why?

So I have decided to start a journal for this summer. I have never really been able to keep a journal, just because I don’t like to write. But I figure, “Hey why not this summer?! I have a laptop I, I can do it on my bed in my room.” So here it goes!

So this summer started with Program Training, and I was a little nervous when I saw that there were sooo many new Program Staff. I was like wow!! But training for that went really, and we bonded like a great team!

Then came Inspiration. I had the siblings (1, 2, 3). They were great! They were a lot of work, with keeping them together and entertained, but it was a great week. 1 made about 10 or so jewelry things up in A&C, and 3 did a bunch of paintings that were very modern! 2 did everything and anything all week long. 4, from the Wolf Pack ended up having to come to this week, instead of regular camp. Which was really hard on us staff that had him last year in the Wolf Pack. But he is feeling better (even though he is physical off worse) which is what really matters. He became the Mayor of Camp, and he really lived up to the name!

On June 15^th, we welcomed in about 70 new staff to the HH family! 65% of the over all staff are returning staff!  It’s so great to see everyone from last year, and to see the new faces! I feel just after 2 days of training that we as a staff are going to be a great team!

“Dream Big” is the slogan for 2010. They have asked us, what are your Dreams? What are they for the summer? I really don’t know what dreams I have for the summer…I know it sounds weird. But I know that just because I am here, it is a Dream Come True!  Being here at HH is the best dream that anyone could ever have. It is a “wonderful place, with wonderful people” – 5 (Chipmunk ’09). I hope that maybe I can find another Dream this summer while being here. But we will have to compare this one and the last one I write.

The one big thing they asked us today (Day 2 of Training) was “Why? Why do we give up our summer to come up here, to HH?” At first, my answer was, why not?! Why would we not come here? I couldn’t imagine not being here for a summer. But as the day went on, and I heard what other people’s reasons were. I thought of it a little harder. My reason is because this place is home, its natural, its how life should be in the real world. HH is such a different place from the real world. People don’t understand why guys dress up in dresses and tight fitting costumes. Or why counselors will do anything and everything to make a camper have a fantastic time. We counselors always say, “You don’t know what we are talking about, until you experience it yourself.” And its true! The magic of HH can’t be told and understood from an outsider. You must become an insider.

Weirdo tonight at the Waterfront campfire shared why he keeps coming back to HH, and wrote a poem about it. It was amazing! It brought everything that any camper-counselor ever could think of. Him and I are one in a kind. We think very much a-like and it is sometimes kind of weird. But, he put it in exact words for what a lot of people feel. It runs in our blood and in our veins. It’s a big part of my heart and it will always be a part of my life.

Every time I look around the grounds here, I just smile. I think of the memories that I have as a camper, and the ones with my campers. I think of the memories that will be made the summer coming up, and the memories that will be made long after I am gone. But I will keep two things in mind all summer. 1. Dreams are made and 2. Why?

Health and Happiness 2010