Lanalog
FALL 2021
Dear LanakilaNS, Lately, I find myself constantly reminiscing about the 2021 summer and it never ceases to amaze me how each summer can energize me in remarkable ways. After napping for two weeks straight, I was ready to return for another seven weeks of adventure and fun. This was a summer for the ages and one I won’t soon forget. It was a return home after so much time away. For some, this home was waiting for us after a two-year hiatus. For new campers, this was a home introduced to you for the first time. And in this return home, we learned how we were affected by the past 18 months. We learned how to be in big groups again, how being off devices meant we had to re-learn how to talk to friends in person. We had to give ourselves over to the feeling of hugging a friend for the first time, or high-fiving someone even when our initial instincts told us not to. It was the greatest gift to be able to return together to a feeling of normalcy, one that I know I needed. From Some Day wishes to the 2nd of July Bonfire, to the Banquet, we sure managed to pack in a lot of fun. After camp, I asked myself whether I was the same person as the one at the beginning of the summer. The answer was easy — I am not. I find myself more aware of myself, more in touch with the side of myself that needs time to reset and relax. I realize I want to say YES to every request to spend time with friends and loved ones. I would like you to ask yourself the same question. I believe the answer will be similar to my own. I truly believe Lanakila provided the opportunity to transform ourselves. I believe it happens over the course of the summer, but I believe your parents will see in you the change in how you interact with your siblings, how you make a request, how you view each situation through a lens of being your best self.
It takes courage to be transformed, to give yourself over to the opportunity to change. It takes bravery to not run from difficulty. It takes practice to acknowledge the lessons in each situation we are presented with. If last summer was a success, you feel more confident, courageous, selfless, more loving, and ready to do hard things. It is the lessons of Lanakila, as well as the lifelong friendships, that make it our home away from home. It is the place where we are our best selves — where we learn who we are as individuals — where we learn how to treat each other and live in a small community. Because of this, we hold it close to our hearts even in the deepest of winter months, knowing that our Lanakila spirit can always be transferred to our daily lives. I look forward to seeing all your smiling faces in the very near future. Skol,
BRYAN PARTRIDGE Director of Lanakila