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| Peter McBride! |
Our good friend and Irish Counselor extraordinaire (Summer Staff 2011/2012/2013) loves a good Vespers, and since he wasn't able to join us this season, he decided to deliver one on this blog instead of on Vespers Island. I'm just grateful the subject didn't reference the 1998 Bruce Willis film Armageddon, like all of his other Vespers did.
Here's Peter:
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Hello everyone!
Some say that people are born with natural abilities in things such as maths, sports or arts. Some say there is a skill in writing inspiring speeches or engaging novels. This is a skill which has not been afforded to me so please bear with me throughout this post.
So I got in contact with Mr Clawson a few days ago to chat about a few things and one of the things which came up was the opportunity to post on L G Cook blog. Now it was I who suggested it and only after Ben had said yes, did I realise what a terrible idea it was. Even now as I write this post, my mind is like the roadrunner in that cartoon that I used to watch with the coyote…you know the one? Great!
Anyways there was a logic behind me sending you all my thoughts. Let me give a brief recap on what I have done this past year since leaving camp. In August 13 I entered the big world of employment and landed my first teaching job in Scotland. It was a job that I was excited about but I had no idea what was in store for me! It consumed my life and don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it…but you become very tunnelled in your thoughts.
Anyways the year passed by and every once in a while think of camp…mainly when the kids in my class would sing camp songs, which I taught them! (yea I got a few angry letters about children singing these slightly odd and ill-logical songs about banana's uniting and what not) But by and large I didn't dedicate a huge amount of time thinking about it. And even when camp started (I was still working) I didn't think I would miss things…then I started to see photos of all you guys doing…being…well…I saw summer camp! It was actually very difficult to listen to people talk about camp or look at pictures without getting consumed with jealously about them being there and me not!
So to console myself I started to think of some of my favourite moments of camp and the one moment(s) which I always came back to was Vespers. No matter what week it was or what the theme was or even what mood the weather was in…Vespers was a constant. So this is kind of my Vespers for the summer. You will hear some amazing Vespers this summer from lots of different people, just like I did. And to be honest I would listen to these Vespers and think…that's deep or that's special! But I didn't fully understand the message that was being delivered and that wasn't because I wasn't paying attention or the person didn't make sense, but I just didn't have the full camp experience. One feeling which I had never experienced before was the sensation of leaving camp and realising that summer was over. Sure every year summer camp would end and it would be sad, but shear exhaustion meant that my mind didn't let me think of it. Plus at the end of summer camp I always knew that I would be going back the next summer.
However tis past August was the first time that I knew I wouldn't be going back, because of work, and it's only then that the remaining experience that camp offers starts to come to light. Now this isn't meant to be a sad post but more of an uplifting one, because now I fully appreciate summer camp. I appreciate my co-workers, the blades of glass in front of the dining hall, the uneven ground in the bowl, the yellow arrows that directed me where to go (yes after 3 summers I still got lost), the sweltering heat and most of all...you guys!
Everyone who has an association with camp brings something to the table and that is what makes the place so special. It's not about a lake, or a camp fire. It's about the blend of people that come together for 1 week out of the year and appreciate each other for the attributes which they have. So here is my challenge for all of you…If there is something you don't want to do…don't do it. Why should you? It's scary and I'm completely with out on scary things. They are worst. I still have to sleep with a light because I'm afraid of the dark. However if there is something that you do want to do, but you're afraid, that's amazing! That gives you the opportunity to meet someone who is in the exact same place as you. I guarantee you that there are at least 2 people who are afraid of something at camp. (If you say you're afraid of the Killen, I'm right there with you…what really goes on in that thing?) But if you do find yourself in that position, have a chat to someone about it and if they don't understand your position, chat to someone else about it. And I am confident, so confident that I'll put my job on it (ps. I don't have one anymore so don't pay any attention to that), that you will find someone there who appreciates you and what your feeling. You tell them what you're afraid of and they will help you cope with it. Then in the future then will return the favour to you! And guess what? You have just stumbled upon, by complete and utter accident, your new best friend. The one person who knows that you hold that fear and wants to help…trust me, you will find that person at 100a Strubble Road!
Anyways there was a logic behind me sending you all my thoughts. Let me give a brief recap on what I have done this past year since leaving camp. In August 13 I entered the big world of employment and landed my first teaching job in Scotland. It was a job that I was excited about but I had no idea what was in store for me! It consumed my life and don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it…but you become very tunnelled in your thoughts.
Anyways the year passed by and every once in a while think of camp…mainly when the kids in my class would sing camp songs, which I taught them! (yea I got a few angry letters about children singing these slightly odd and ill-logical songs about banana's uniting and what not) But by and large I didn't dedicate a huge amount of time thinking about it. And even when camp started (I was still working) I didn't think I would miss things…then I started to see photos of all you guys doing…being…well…I saw summer camp! It was actually very difficult to listen to people talk about camp or look at pictures without getting consumed with jealously about them being there and me not!
So to console myself I started to think of some of my favourite moments of camp and the one moment(s) which I always came back to was Vespers. No matter what week it was or what the theme was or even what mood the weather was in…Vespers was a constant. So this is kind of my Vespers for the summer. You will hear some amazing Vespers this summer from lots of different people, just like I did. And to be honest I would listen to these Vespers and think…that's deep or that's special! But I didn't fully understand the message that was being delivered and that wasn't because I wasn't paying attention or the person didn't make sense, but I just didn't have the full camp experience. One feeling which I had never experienced before was the sensation of leaving camp and realising that summer was over. Sure every year summer camp would end and it would be sad, but shear exhaustion meant that my mind didn't let me think of it. Plus at the end of summer camp I always knew that I would be going back the next summer.
However tis past August was the first time that I knew I wouldn't be going back, because of work, and it's only then that the remaining experience that camp offers starts to come to light. Now this isn't meant to be a sad post but more of an uplifting one, because now I fully appreciate summer camp. I appreciate my co-workers, the blades of glass in front of the dining hall, the uneven ground in the bowl, the yellow arrows that directed me where to go (yes after 3 summers I still got lost), the sweltering heat and most of all...you guys!
Everyone who has an association with camp brings something to the table and that is what makes the place so special. It's not about a lake, or a camp fire. It's about the blend of people that come together for 1 week out of the year and appreciate each other for the attributes which they have. So here is my challenge for all of you…If there is something you don't want to do…don't do it. Why should you? It's scary and I'm completely with out on scary things. They are worst. I still have to sleep with a light because I'm afraid of the dark. However if there is something that you do want to do, but you're afraid, that's amazing! That gives you the opportunity to meet someone who is in the exact same place as you. I guarantee you that there are at least 2 people who are afraid of something at camp. (If you say you're afraid of the Killen, I'm right there with you…what really goes on in that thing?) But if you do find yourself in that position, have a chat to someone about it and if they don't understand your position, chat to someone else about it. And I am confident, so confident that I'll put my job on it (ps. I don't have one anymore so don't pay any attention to that), that you will find someone there who appreciates you and what your feeling. You tell them what you're afraid of and they will help you cope with it. Then in the future then will return the favour to you! And guess what? You have just stumbled upon, by complete and utter accident, your new best friend. The one person who knows that you hold that fear and wants to help…trust me, you will find that person at 100a Strubble Road!
And that's my Vespers...
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| Peter McBride! After being put through the Chaos Machine. |
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