My daughter came home from Girl Scout camp yesterday, and I am feeling such pride for her. She has spent three summers attending resident camp, but this was her first experience with the Girl Scouts. Her other camp is much cushier with big cabins and full bathrooms just a few steps outside the door.
Girl Scout camp is different. They sleep in bungalows – a wood platform with walls that are made out of tent canvas. Counselors don’t sleep in the cabins with the girls like they do at her other camp, and I knew that my night-time anxiety ridden drama queen would be challenged by all of this.
Little did I know that the Girl Scouts would be spending one of their 5 evenings together on an actual camping trip with tents and all in a rainy pine forest. Here’s the image that flashed across my computer screen Thursday morning.
And then there was a group of all the girls together during that camping trip.
Only there was one wee little problem. My daughter wasn’t in this photo. Where the heck was she? I knew that camping was going to be a major obstacle for her and felt horrible that I hadn’t prepared her for it. Then, to not see her in the group photo??? Oh my – I was filled with worry. I would have called the emergency phone number they provided us with, but she was coming home the next day. I figured that if something horrible had happened, they would have called me. All I could do was wait.
When I finally saw my trooper yesterday, it only took a moment for her to ask, “Why didn’t you tell me we were going on a camping trip?” I simply didn’t know, but I asked, “Well, did you like it?” “No!” she replied without hesitation. When I asked, would go back to Girl Scout camp again next year,” again the response came without hesitation – “Absolutely yes!”
My daughter had no explanation as to why she wasn’t in the group photo. I am sure she was off in her own little world not even realizing the photo was happening. She pointed out that there are other girls missing from it, too.
What I am really proud of is that despite all of the challenges my daughter had to tackle on this trip, she did it and walked away with wonderful stories and a wish to return for some more next year. We should all just learn from her that no matter your circumstance, you just carry on. Smart girl, huh?
That is why my song of the day is “Carry On” by Fun. Forward…charge!
