"If The World Shifted"

By Green River Preserve on July 27, 2014

As I lay in my sleeping bag looking at the night sky this Campout, it felt like if the world shifted even a little beneath us, we might all fall into the sea of stars. It reminded me of a favorite quote of mine that goes like this: “The sea’s only gifts are harsh blows and, occasionally, the chance to feel strong. Now, I don’t know much about the sea, but I do know that that’s the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing the blind, deaf stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.”

Some people have described Campout as a concentrated form of camp. Camp brings many challenges and obstacles to face, but Campout is more than that. You have to be the one to build your own shelter, carry the supplies, prepare the food. You have to rely on yourself and the people in your cabin to provide the most basic of human necessities. This bonds campers together in a way they will perhaps never experience outside of camp. They get to realize how strong they actually are. As we hiked back to base camp today, a camper from my brother cabin turned to me and said, “This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” I nodded and smiled as he panted along and adjusted his backpack, which weighed heavy on his small shoulders. “But it’s also the coolest,” he added before hurrying along to catch up with the person in front of him.

Love, Andie (WW2)

Green River Preserve
Green River Preserve

Green River Preserve is a non-competitive, coed summer camp connecting children with nature. Located on a 3,400 acre private wildlife preserve in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, this extraordinary natural setting inspires campers to have a greater understanding of themselves, their environment, and their fellow man. Designed for bright, curious, and creative children, our program nurtures character development and fosters skills like perseverance, curiosity, communication, optimism, creativity, and GRIT.