The Next Two Weeks

As the beginning of our first two-week session of the summer unfolds, we find ourselves thankful to be with each other. So many friendly faces and the wonderful souls behind them have gathered in a place that holds a truly special place in all of our hearts. It’s easy to forget what we learn here, when we leave and go back to the real world. For now, though, we get to dive into something that we are a so forunate to experience.

Today went by in a flash. After checking in and camp tours, our community formed a Respect Circle, promising one another that we would all be our best selves here, to respect all living things, big or small. We talked about the land, the wildlife and the wisdom learned from enveloping ourselves in the spiritual presence that follows us long after we leave the Preserve. I think that everyone who explains this place does it in their own unique way, whether it be with a strong passion for the land, itself, or with a slant towards the growth that happens to our campers and the community, at large. In the grand scheme of things, we all feel what is talked about during the respect circle and council fires–there is something here that does not exist anywhere else on the planet. You can touch it by giving a friend a helping hand. You can see it when a smile forms on the face of a new camper. You can hear it in the mutterings of the dining hall or while listening to the stories told around the fire. There is an importance to giving yourself to the teachings of Green River Preserve that you will understand only after experiencing the wonders of this land and all life that here exists.