Under the Same Stars

“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” ― Mary Oliver

There have been too many moments of magic to describe each and every one, and that’s just from my point-of-view. Every one of our campers, everyday, gets the chance to explore and expand upon the people that they are, in a genuinely pure environment. For so many of us, being who we are is difficult. In the age of social media, it seems like every move we make is recorded in some way or another. Here on the Preserve, void of cell phones, TV or internet access, our campers can feel a freedom that simply does not exist outside the boundaries of GRP. Throughout each day of the summer I have not once witnessed a camper groan about the lack of connectivity to the rest of the world. Not once. For many, it’s because when they pull in through the back gates they are entering a place that doesn’t need to be connected to society. Here, we rely on each other. We live, breath, eat, play, and sleep under the same stars in the same corner of the woods, tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our camper’s personal stories will be told the way they should be, on the car ride home from camp, and throughout the rest of their lives.

Story and photos by Brandon S. Marshall