Carpe diem.
We want to create a moment to reflect with our camp community on our past summer and wish everyone a beautifully sweet New Year. This time of year provides us with a precious opportunity to slow down, pause, and reflect on where we are and where we are going. What an amazing summer of Blue Star magic we all created together! In so doing we have been working hard on helping each camper realize our three core outcomes…Self-discovery; Building community; and Doing good. As we reflect and seek to learn from this past summer we are asking ourselves a big question (that we encourage all camp parents to ask ourselves): In twenty years, if our children are asked what they learned from us about building community, what will they say?
Hopefully, Blue Star campers will have learned that building community requires positive action. Each of us holds the power to actively contribute to the type of community within which we want to live. If we start the journey with a kind and open heart, then we ultimately will speak and act from a place of love. Beginning with our cabin and unit groups, the process of community building will not be perfect or without challenges. When we assume good intentions, practice forgiveness, and learn to constructively communicate through our conflicts…we will have learned from camp how best to influence positively our home communities.
Since the school year (our “off season”) has begun we have heard so many beautiful stories from camp families about the Blue Star magic seeping into life back at home. One example is from a first-time Blue Star family whose daughter recently hosted a weekend “Blue Star swim party” complete with camp games, a pop-up Granny’s store (yes, there were Big Boppers!), and almost an entire unit of campers building community together. Being kind and welcoming to one another while having a super fun time…that’s the Blue Star magic.
Wishing everyone a reflective and meaningful New Year filled with Onelove…L’Shanah Tova!