A Break in the Storm

The last full day of camp was full of excitement. Everyone was preparing for the talent show that evening and enjoying the extra free time that afternoon. But I was starting to feel the effects of the four previous days, the late nights (Miles was scared of the dark), and just the overall exhaustion that comes from chasing little boys around camp!

By the afternoon I handed the kids over to Daddy and retreated to the cabin to take a nap. Sooner than I would have liked, the boys appeared at the cabin with a plan to go swimming. Still groggy and tired, I was less than enthused about this idea. In general I like to plan things out. I like to know what to expect for the day and fit things into a time slot so that I can prepare myself for what's ahead. My husband is sometimes more spontaneous, which is a good thing, but it generally takes me awhile to warm up to the idea. Still, I played along, we got our swim stuff ready, but then there was a discussion about the pool or the lake, did the boys need a nap? The car needs gas...

Okay, here's the plan: We decided to go get gas first and then go to the lake, but on the way, the boys both fell asleep in the car.

hmm...new plan: drive back to camp since there is only an hour left before dinner

back at camp we see my mom leaving for the lake saying, "oh! I thought we would see you there!"

Plan C: a few minutes after she pulls away we decide we'll go to the lake after all, even though it means waking the boys up from a nap and only a short time to swim.

The whole time I felt completely out of control and indecisive, but I tried to go with the flow as much as possible.

Finally, we ended up at the lake, both boys awake, swimming and playing happily in the water. By then, the sky had become overcast and the beach was starting to clear out. We heard a couple rumbles in the distance.

Miles was reluctant to leave, but we finally made it to our car just before the storm hit and the rain came down in sheets. The drive back to camp was certainly exciting! We nearly missed getting hit by a fallen tree branch, and the windshield wipers were working hard to keep up with the downpour.

I said a prayer of thanks when we made it back safely to camp. Everyone was gathered inside the dinning hall getting ready to sing for dinner. It created quite and intimate atmosphere. Miles immediately found his place in the center of the circle and proceeded to sing and dance, jumping up and down with pure joy. It was a beautiful moment; Thunder booming outside, our voices echoing the passion of mother nature; the relief of making it through the storm and being enveloped in the joy and excitement of the moment. Miles even gave the prayer for dinner--the crowd went wild!

Spontaneity is not always my strong suit, but when I can learn to accept it and just see what unfolds instead of trying to control the situation, wonderful things can happen. These are what make up our most memorable experiences. Sometimes you just have to stop worrying and sit back and see what unexpected gifts the day has to bring.

Open the door to possibility!