To Be a Child Again
By Kate Robertson, National Alumni Board
As the sun made its way over Sleeping Indian and began to turn the pasture gold, mist rose from the dew-touched grass on Valerie lawn. From the Crow’s Nest porch I could see participants stirring. Mountain bikers were at the bike barn preparing for the day’s ride. Horse riders were gathering on the rock wall, waiting for a van to take them to the Sky Valley Corral for early morning graining. Mountaineers were returning from a pre-dawn hike to Lesson Rocks. And smoke was curling from the chimney in Valerie Lodge, where we’d soon convene for Lesson Study. You could sense the excitement in the air, as clearly as the scent of bacon wafting from Matthew’s kitchen.
Adult Mini Camp was in full swing. Adult campers are such an incredible family of adventurers. They are pushing themselves toward new definitions of what it means to be limitless. They are claiming their right to be children of God – not adults of a society defined by human history, accumulated years or personal potential.
My favorite part of Mini Camp this year – and every year, for that matter – is the sense of appreciation these campers feel at the end of each day. At the close of dinner, the dining room is opened up for sharing of gratitude and highlights from the day. You cannot contain the joy that percolates in that room.
“I did it!”
“I overcame my fears!”
“I made it all the way through the high ropes course!”
“I didn’t give up on myself, or my horse!”
“I got up, and got back on, and never looked back!”
“I conquered my fear of riding over Independence Pass!”
“I peaked a mountain!”
What do these comments all have in common? An exclamation point! And the common theme of turning away from any sense of being over the hill, too afraid, not strong enough, to peaking a dream, a desire, a long-held hope for the adventure of discovering how unlimited we are.
Mini Camp 2016 was beyond wonderful. It was an exclamation point in the lives of dozens of men and women, who, for a week, put aside all they thought they knew about their potential and let themselves discover how willing, brave and trusting they really are. For me, it was like watching children at play – discovering and learning more about their relationship to their divine Source.
I can’t wait until next year.
Make plans now for next summer’s Mini Camp, August 20-26, 2017. Bring a friend and it’s $50 off for each of you. Click here to learn more and register.
Share:
Categories:
Related Articles
Boyman Center Dedicated
With deep gratitude for Summit Society members Heidy and John Boyman, an enthusiastic group consisting of family members, Adventure Unlimited staff and Service Weekend participants celebrated the dedication of the
Kitchen Talk: What’s New with Food at the A/U Ranches?
Matthew Leon and Mike Kilborn, who are in charge of food operations at the A/U Ranches, have made improvements in food management and planted gardens that bring fresh vegetables to
Update for Alumni: Celebrating the Good from Summer
It’s tempting to focus on the amount of change that’s occurred over these last few months at Adventure Unlimited. But while freshness of thought and new ideas are certainly worth