Apart from the dull green of the unbending evergreens, the whole world appears monochromatic. Shades of grey along the hills are sandwiched between the dull white of the snow and the grey-white of the low hanging clouds. Wisps of clouds like melted cheese ooze through the hills obscuring where the hills end and the sky begins.
Yet despite the dim day, the smiles couldn’t be bigger in my hallway. For today is the day the trunks come out! One of the wonders of camp is the connection to place that is quickly brought to life when the latch of the trunk is opened and the lid is lifted to reveal the memories of a summer past and the possibilities of a summer future.
As my daughters pore through the contents of their trunks, packed away since last August, there is a constant patter of “I’d forgotten about this,.” or “okay, does this still work?” and “let’s see, I have my can of pencils, some need sharpening.”
As a parent, I was most concerned with whether last year’s uniform would still fit and whether we’d need to purchase any new shirts or shorts. Apparently that was not even on their check list. For when I asked how their shirts fit, I heard quizzically, “I’m not trying anything on.” Somehow my daughters’ goals for getting their trunks ready for camp are not in the same plane as my goals. Truly, does it really matter if their sweatshirt sleeves no longer come down to their wrists or if their shirts have a few holes and paint stains—hey shirts are even better that way!
Then eventually, “So now do I need to put everything back in?” I always wonder at queries like this. Are they meant to be rhetorical or does a 10 year old truly believe that having the contents of her trunk strewn across the hallway is the optimal way to leave things before heading on to her next activity?
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