The word end typically has a negative connotation.
We don’t like it when good things have to end.
We have trouble saying goodbye (if you’re a midwesterner like me, it may take you over an hour to extract yourself from a party). We linger in the movie theater after the credits roll hoping for one last scene, not wanting to accept that the movie is over. We cry when a loved one leaves for college or a job in a new town, sad that a phase of life is over. We grieve and mourn at funerals as we are reminded how fleeting and fragile life can be.
There is a sadness to the end of our final session of the summer.
But here at Rockmont, we’ve also learned to see endings as a good thing, to recognize the important lesson they teach.
While often tinged with sadness, endings remind us that time is limited, that our life on Earth – and the myriad phases of it – will not last forever. The sense of an approaching ending compels us to seize the opportunities in front of us, to face our fears, and to make the most of our lives.
We seek to create a culture of reflective and intentional living all summer long here at Rockmont, and the end of each session reminds us of that.
But the reality of the end of the summer only truly sinks in when we hit session four.
At the beginning of this session, I took stock of my goals for the summer (and my lack of progress towards them) and finally made concrete plans to tackle the most important ones. Throughout this session, many, if not all, Deer Camp counselors have shared with me their renewed desire to pour everything into this session and make it the best one yet.
During the last free swim of the summer, I finally made good on my promise (to myself and the paddling staff) to try to learn to roll in a kayak. And while I did not succeed in rolling a kayak, I did obtain a sense of peace knowing that I tried rather than letting the opportunity slip away.
Walking around the dining hall during Final Banquet this evening, I heard a number of similar stories of bucket list items attempted, fears conquered, and opportunities seized by campers, counselors, and directors:
Carter finally tried going off a jump on a mountain bike.
Lucien faced his fear and went backwards off the dock in a kayak, not once but twice!
Elliot launched his rocket and caught it as it fell back to Earth (and earned himself some Cola Stop by doing so!).
Michael tried the zipline for the first time.
Luke did his first front flip off the high dive.
Grayson completed the triathlon.
Beau finally got his first disc golf hole-in-one.
Harrison qualified for the Disc Golf Open for the first time (and finished third!).
Riley commentated the Disc Golf Open (a Rockmont first!).
And even though he was worried he might pass out from fright, Jace donned a bee suit and tried beekeeping for the first time.
In each of these cases, the reality of the fast approaching end of camp urged these campers, counselors, and directors to make the most of their limited time by stepping out of their comfort zone, pushing beyond their perceived limits, and facing their fears.
So while endings are sad, they teach us to live well, in a way that nothing else can.
Maybe we could all use a few more endings.
– Kevin Dougherty
Head of Deer Camp