Day 135: Humble Teenagers

The teenagers, Harrison & Spencer returned from their one week assignment as camp counselors at Camp Harmony. I have written several times on my Blog about Camp Harmony. It is a camp for underprivileged children -- mostly homeless or close to it. The camp allows them to be kids for one week out of their hectic and chaotic and sometimes violent lives.

Pictured here is Harrison's cabin ... my boy is the tall one to the far right.

I am SO PROUD of my 15 year old boys. Not only did they give one week of their time and energy, they absorbed and embraced it. I think it is all summed up when they both told me they cried at the closing ceremony where the campers were all saying good-bye. Can you imagine teenage boys feeling so connected that they cried? They had raw emotion and connection with these campers whom they had never met before one week ago.

As a Mom, there are few words to express how happy I am that they spent time doing for "others". Unconditional attention to children who so need to be loved, hugged and cared for.

Last night was their first night home and already three campers had called Spencer ... just to talk, just to ask what was up? My boys were physically & emotionally exhausted... each slept for close to 13 hours. The administrators of the camp had told us that our children would get very little sleep ... working close to 18 hours a day ... and they were correct. But my boys were smiling and happy when they returned. So what's a few nights without sleep when you know you are doing such good!

Pictured here are Spencer's campers ... Spencer is the one to the far left in the back row.

It was not all fun and games, the boys had to deal with a lot of sadness too. Spencer had a camper that had to be sent home for excessive fighting. Other campers were just totally out of control and needed to be handled non stop ... not an easy task for a 15 year old boy who has never had training in child development.

Thank you to my beautiful niece Olivia Bernstein for introducing the boys to this program. Thank you Olivia for sharing your wisdom of 17 years to the boys and encouraging them to attend. I am so happy that we made this happen. It was not always an easy road to travel ... with forms, and money, and coordinating shedules and hesitation, but I held my ground as a parent on this one... I mean I really stood on cement, there was no wavering for me. And they did it ... they accomplished the week successfully and we are all so happy and feeling so blessed today!

If you want to help or make a contribution to Camp Harmony, please visit www.UnitedInHarmony.com