http://epochewiki.pbwiki.com/f/Selfnarrative

When I was nine years old, my parents decided to send my to sleep away camp in upstate New York for summer. Little did they know that this place would have such a life-changing effect on me. Each summer, I would continue to go back to camp and formed bonds with friends that I envision to last a lifetime. When I got older, my friends at home would be working, but I still wanted to go to camp. There is some unexplainable effect that makes people want to return each summer. Last summer, in 2004, it was my first summer as a counselor. The transition from camper to counselor was frightening, but was much easier with my best friends by my side. I suddenly gained a great deal of responsibility and independence.

Camp, to me, was an escape from reality and was almost a bubble to the outside world. Everything was always carefree and easy, with campers enthusiasm and love guiding the way, until one day when the smiles and laughter quickly changed to horror nd grief. After being hit in the head and collapsing during a friendly game of soccer, one child was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead. The vibrancy and happiness at camp was transformed into tears and then silence. However, this horrific incident united the camp under its three guiding principles: Warmth, Tradition, and Spirit. It also helped me to learn about the person who I truly am.

After being informed of the young girl’s death, I was forced, as a counselor for ten young male campers, to play the role of a mother. I walked into the bunk, only to find them sitting in silence. Nobody said anything, but I gave them each a hug and a smile. It was my awesome responsibility to explain death to these young and naïve boys who did not understand what had happened. In fact, they seemed unaffected as I watched them play a game of basketball later that day. Through my tears and disbelief, I had to put on a “mask” of happiness in order to help them. I was no longer an innocent girl at camp anymore like these young children. I was forced to become their mature and brave bunk leader.

That evening, I walked back to my bunk through the darkness and chill of the night. I felt my heart pounding as I climbed onto my top bed. Tears quickly rolled down my cheeks as I was finally able to have my time to grieve. I cried to my mother on the phone, to my friends at camp, and then by myself for many days. I was miles away from my home and my family, yet I learned to cope on my own and independently during the most difficult experience of my life. This horrific accident revealed my inner strength to conceal my feelings in order to help others. I placed the feelings of my campers and friends before my own; however, I needed and took my own personal time to heal as well.

Each step in each day that I continued to take at Camp Schodack this summer seemed precious. One child’s steps can leave lasting imprints on an entire place forever. This child’s memory and spirit will live on in each individual member of the Camp Schodack family. Most importantly, this tragedy taught me to live each day to its fullest and to cherish each moment on Earth.