My Favorite Place

          Picture this: A young woman, wide eyes beaming with fully-charged optimism, drives her Ivory-white, vintage Buick along a half mile dirt road. She passes the hand-painted “Welcome to Camp Dudley” sign that swings back and forth on its rusty hinges and joins the heroic staff of her childhood summer camp. Her thin smile stretches upward and her long-hidden dimples reappear, the weight and worry of her world dissipating instantly.

That young woman is me. I work at a small, 11 acre summer camp situated on the breathtaking shores of Clear Lake. Camp Dudley was my home for eight weeks this summer, and it was, without-a-doubt, the experience of a lifetime. I have never been happier in my life. Everything just felt right: the staff was incredibly welcoming, the campers blossomed, and I loved teaching children of all ages. My soul was truly at peace and I felt in harmony with nature. Rays of heavy sunlight beamed down into our little world by day, and the familiar full moon stood guard in the heart of the sky by night, illuminating its brilliant light off Clear Lake. Looking up at the Heavens, the vivid stars looked like God’s white blood, pinpricked and splattered amongst the vast unknown, dark as the deep in the black of an eye, Demon or Deity. Thick smoke from the crackling campfire floated through the fresh, Cascade air, drifting over streams and stumps.

Camp was literally life-changing. I gained the confidence needed to overcome silent-but-toxic insecurities about myself. My belief in God flourished as I spent many nights in the open forest, gazing in awe at his beautiful, infinite creations. I learned a great ordeal about thinking on my toes, managing my time and energy, and being open, accepting, and charitable to everyone.

            I came to realize that true happiness occurs while in the service of others. At camp, I got to spend countless hours working with young, innocent children who have been guarded from the evils of the world as well as kids who missed out on childhood and were forced to grow up quickly. I loved getting to talk with these campers and give each of them a flicker of hope and love. Camp Dudley has the perfect combination of fun activities, good friends, positive role models, a strong sense of belonging, budding confidence, strengthened group unity and leadership skills, which ultimately offers a true experience of a lifetime. When the campers left at the end of each week, their faces seemed to beam with a pure, joyous light as they entered the starless night beyond camp.

I believe that camp changes lives. It changed mine. Camp, to me, is a Heaven on Earth, and it is a safe zone where I can be truly happy. Camp will always be my second home and favorite place in this world.