Hello vs. Goodbye

At camp, some things are very cyclical. In terms of campers there are always two things that are certain: You will always say hello and you will always say goodbye. The end of session one brought the reality to all staff that campers have to leave. Just a couple days later a new session starts as new campers arrive to camp. At the start of each session there is an energy that surrounds camp that is almost indescribable. The staff waits with anticipation as each member of their cabin drives up that long hill. When the camper arrives two things happen: The campers say good bye to their parents or caregivers and then the campers say hello to their new counselors. Sometimes the attachments are more apparent than others. Occasionally a staff member is lucky enough to catch that one meaningful goodbye. Sometimes it is a hug that lasts just a couple seconds longer than usual. Other times you might see a tear or two. In these moments the staff member realizes that the caregiver wants nothing but the best for the camper. When the camper turns to say hello to the new staff it is the staff that realize why they came to camp in the first place. In these moments we understand why camp exists. For the staff session two started today. For the campers, this may be their only session to have the time of their lives.