Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Calling

I read a funny thing today. It was something about an advent calendar should be designed, counting down, and awaiting the first day of school. A glorious day indeed, but one, that is still a few weeks away. It's coming though...I can hear it at night. The cicadas chanting "Katy did" "Katy didn't"...the signal that summer is wrapping up. I am in no means trying to bring on the cooler weather mind you. Just routine. I am craving it.

I did, though, have a little break this week. My girls are at Girl Scout day camp!! So, two out of three of them are gone, and I am left with sweet little Molly. She is my biggest fan, and adores me, so spending the day with her is a dream. Constant compliments, and hugs. We giggle and she loves running errands with me, which the older two loathe, and let me know each and every second, while doing them. Molly is 3. And she is as sweet as sugar. I could eat her with a spoon, so this week has been a treat.

I did, however, spend a few hours at the camp the other day, trying to help out. The campers are all different ages. From Daisy's until Girl Scout cadets, which are High School girls. They are all broken into little groups, and each group has an adult in charge, as well as older scouts, who are there, helping out.

To watch the older Girl Scouts help out, and care for the younger girls, was beyond impressive. They are the ones actually running the show. All of them are veterans at day camping, and overnight camping. They have gone from being nurtured, to nurturing. They treat the girls like their little sisters. (I mean that in a good way!) They were organizing games, and musical chairs. Teaching them songs that you only sing in summer camp, and helping them do crafts. I loved watching how the little girls really looked up to the older girls, and it made me remember my years as a Girl Scout, and how much it all meant to me.

Teachers astound me. To even consider becoming one, I have always felt that you need to have a certain calling. But being at Girl Scout camp, really opened my eyes even more. All of the women there, the leaders, and helpers, taking time off from jobs, and out of their lives, to run the camp, coordinate it all, and make sure every girl has a great experience, all voluntary, and unpaid, really floored me. Watching the older girls really giving it their all, and being so involved made me feel bad for thinking that all teenagers are the pits. They're not! There are some really great ones, right here, where we live!

Busy parents volunteering their own time, coaching teams, and leading troops of kids, all trying to show them the way, and shape good, productive members of society really deserve a hand.

So, next time you feel irritated by the kids outside of Walmart trying to raise money for their teams, or the tables of Girl Scout cookies you will soon be seeing everywhere, tempting you at every retail establishment, stop being annoyed. They are all great kids, with even greater adults behind them, trying to shape a brighter future.

A brighter future for them, and for us.

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