Reflections Poem by Tahnia Fairbrother
Each summer, there are several wonderful songs, poems, and thoughts shared by campers and staff at Reflections. I am sure you all remember a moment that really touched you. This week, counselors Brian Deyermond and Dave Robb stopped in for a visit. We all were hoping camp would start tomorrow, but since that is not possible, I thought I would share this poem from summer 2009. - Alan
It’s a long and winding road, the excitement piling high. A year has gone by. A year full of wild, unforgettable experiences. But none could last as long as the memory of that moment the bus rounds the corner and you see the sign. That one faithful sign that makes your heart skip a beat. Then as you bump up the drive and past the new field and the high ropes course… you feel that rush of adrenaline that had escaped you all year long. The atmosphere changes and you suddenly know where you belong. As you reach the office, a loud cheer comes from below, sending a warm fuzzy feeling through your veins. Your counselors welcome you as you step off the bus. Old and new. That night, you don’t want to go to sleep because there are too many people you want to talk to, too many places you want to go, and too many things you want to try.
The first morning you wake up before the wake up bell as that rush of adrenaline you felt the night before still lingers in the air. In the breakfast line you catch up with all your old friends, and maybe meet some new ones too. Over the course of the next few weeks, you make friends that will last a lifetime. Some from places far away like France, London, and Spain.
You meet amazing counselors that change your life forever. They help you to be yourself and never give up. They help you problem-solve and strategize. They help you to make new friends and most of all enjoy your time here at camp. From activities to special days, time flies like never before. Memories are made and jokes are told.
The last day of camp as we clean the cabin, the atmosphere is as strong as ever. Council Fire is our last time to be together as one big KP family. Outside the Playhouse tears are shed as some campers take off with their parents, only to return next summer in one long year full of waiting. The next morning is full of last minute tears and rushed goodbyes as everyone climbs on their bus with watery eyes. As the bus drives away and our cherished counselors wave, we again pass the sign, but this time for the wrong reason. We go the opposite direction and watch that one faithful sign with the two words we love as we drive away. Those two words are always somewhere in the back of my mind. And when I say them, it comes from the heart. Kingsley Pines has changed my life from the very first day I came, July 12, 2008 and has continued changing it to this day. Thanks to all the counselors, you guys make KP what it is. And a special thanks to all the great friends I’ve made along the way. Because as we all know, friendship is the glue that binds us together here at Kingsley Pines.
Tahnia Fairbrother
KP Camper
2008, 2009, & 2010
