Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Time When I Was At My Best

Time When I Was At My Best

For the past three summers I have worked as a counselor at a summer camp called Hidden Acres. I was a camper at Hidden Acres since I was in 3rd grade. Growing up I couldn't wait until I got back to camp. Every year I would get a new set of counselors and I would always think that they were the coolest people ever and had everything in their life worked out. Throughout all of those years I couldn't wait to be a counselor and have kids look up to me and impact their lives as my counselors impacted mine. This summer I had a time when I was at my best. The young girl in the picture's name is Kyra. On the first night of the week that she was there, she was crying in her counselor's arms. I went over and introduced myself but she wouldn't talk to me. The next day she ran up and gave me a hug and her counselor told me about all of the terrible things she has had to go through in her young age. Hopefully throughout that week I helped show that there are people out there that love her and treat her with kindness. It was crazy to see how someone that has had so much pain in her life can still smile and be joyful every day.

That same week I had two campers named Kadin and Colin. They both went to the same school and were good friends. Kadin, in the white, came from a really great home and was always energetic and really cared for the others around him. I saw him last weekend and he ran up and gave me a hug. Someone told me that he had said that I was his favorite counselor and that he couldn't to see me. Colin, in the red, was less talkative and not involved in what we were doing. I made it my goal to get him excited for each activity and to make sure that he got along well with the other boys. At the end of the week Colin's mom wrote me a message on Facebook. She told me how much the week meant to Colin and he had a lot of fun. She also said how he seemed a little than he did before he left. He was more passionate for certain things and seemed more outgoing. This was just gave me reassurance that what I was doing was important and that I was making an impact in these young boy's lives, even when I didn't feel like I was. 

6 comments:

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    1. Wow Sam that sounds like you had an amazing summer! Those kids are so lucky to have a counselor like you to help them get comfortable in a new environment and to help them have the time of their lives at camp. You must feel pretty special being able to mean so much to those kids and I am sure they will be looking for you next summer at camp!

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  2. Being able to help someone in need is a great feeling. That's so awesome that you got to spend your summer helping at that camp. I'm sure all of them enjoyed the energy that you put off! That must be a great feeling to spend time with children who are now in the position that you once were in at that camp!

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  3. Sam,
    That experience is so valuable for the kids. Even though they might have been going through struggles, having you there as a "big brother" gave them that extra support, especially if they were lacking it in other areas of there life. I'm so glad that they had you as a mentor. I'm sure when they look back on their childhood they will always remember you and how good you were to them. Keep up the good work!

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  4. Sam,
    I'm alway impressed at your positive attitude and the way you encourage others around you. You are a great leader and I'm sure have made an impact on these 3 lives along with countless others. Keep shining, it's contagious!

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  5. This is just proof that your positive attitude is as infectious as it is hilarious.

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