late night memories...
I remember a distance time, now far off in my past. This was, in my memory, the first major turning point...the first, true, life-altering experience that ultimately defined who I am today. I can honestly say that no one thing has affected my life to the magnitude of this event, even if it was spread out over three summers.
I am, of course, speaking of scout camp. It was during that time that I met James Galloway, my personally adopted mentor (although I'm not really sure if he even knows this...). From the first day, when I worked as a 14 year old Assistant counselor, I can remember meeting him. I had a 20 dollar bill, and I was asking around change. I don't remember why, but I remember something about how he treated me, versus how everyone else approached me actually touched me. He gave me some degree respect, and believe me, that's something I needed at that time. Heh, he also gave me some other firsts, and he was my "gateway" into another world.
A year later, I returned to camp. At his invite, I ventured down to the now-infamous Cabin 7...the "elite" cabin, the biggest one, complete with its own porch and relative isolation from all the other cabins...a haven, and ultimately probably one of my most comfortable homes, with the entire Onway Forest as my backyard. In Cabin 7, I took essentially an entire summer's worth (7.5 weeks, to be exact) of punishment...admittedly good-natured, but still, it was verbal harrasment. To a level I'd never experienced before. Odd as this may sound, it changed me for the better. I feel that I grew, became stronger, more secure in myself. This security...this confidence, would only continue to grow as years passed, but this summer began it.
Naturally, throughout this whole time, I also talked to James. We philosophized, observed, talked...I learned. The depth I have, though I feel has always been there, was developed by those talks. Although there was a lot that was already there, I feel James helped to fully bring it about in me, or helped to unlock the potential.
But on top of all that, the times were wonderful. There was a sense of carelessness, a sense of freedom I would never experience again, in any capacity. For the brief time when I lived in those cabins, my life was a collection of trees, my friends, and the campfires.
No worries...truly, I had no worries. I could forget about my parents, and the looming unhappiness I'd undoubtedly face when I went home every weekend. There was always the promising allure of Camp Onway...a place where I could be who I wanted (and believe me, I was, for once, completely content with who I was), and I could do what I wanted. It wasn't a major hassle to work with the scouts, and when I wasn't babysitting boy scouts, I was doing what I wished.
I guess what I'm trying to say is...I was happy there. And I sort of want those times back.
I am, of course, speaking of scout camp. It was during that time that I met James Galloway, my personally adopted mentor (although I'm not really sure if he even knows this...). From the first day, when I worked as a 14 year old Assistant counselor, I can remember meeting him. I had a 20 dollar bill, and I was asking around change. I don't remember why, but I remember something about how he treated me, versus how everyone else approached me actually touched me. He gave me some degree respect, and believe me, that's something I needed at that time. Heh, he also gave me some other firsts, and he was my "gateway" into another world.
A year later, I returned to camp. At his invite, I ventured down to the now-infamous Cabin 7...the "elite" cabin, the biggest one, complete with its own porch and relative isolation from all the other cabins...a haven, and ultimately probably one of my most comfortable homes, with the entire Onway Forest as my backyard. In Cabin 7, I took essentially an entire summer's worth (7.5 weeks, to be exact) of punishment...admittedly good-natured, but still, it was verbal harrasment. To a level I'd never experienced before. Odd as this may sound, it changed me for the better. I feel that I grew, became stronger, more secure in myself. This security...this confidence, would only continue to grow as years passed, but this summer began it.
Naturally, throughout this whole time, I also talked to James. We philosophized, observed, talked...I learned. The depth I have, though I feel has always been there, was developed by those talks. Although there was a lot that was already there, I feel James helped to fully bring it about in me, or helped to unlock the potential.
But on top of all that, the times were wonderful. There was a sense of carelessness, a sense of freedom I would never experience again, in any capacity. For the brief time when I lived in those cabins, my life was a collection of trees, my friends, and the campfires.
No worries...truly, I had no worries. I could forget about my parents, and the looming unhappiness I'd undoubtedly face when I went home every weekend. There was always the promising allure of Camp Onway...a place where I could be who I wanted (and believe me, I was, for once, completely content with who I was), and I could do what I wanted. It wasn't a major hassle to work with the scouts, and when I wasn't babysitting boy scouts, I was doing what I wished.
I guess what I'm trying to say is...I was happy there. And I sort of want those times back.