Lanalog
WINTER 2019
Dear Lanakila, On New Year’s Eve, I stood at Council Fire with a small crew of Lanakila campers, counselors, and alumni. It looked a little different: the path up was a sheet of ice, the fire pit was gone, snow covered the logs, and there was no Odin presentation to hold in our memories for years to come. We stood in a circle of candlelight, talking about what Lanakila had taught us, as well as what goals we have for ourselves. In that moment, I had visions of all of you, lighting your candles, dreaming of 2019, and feeling the warmth of the worldwide Lanakila family. Later that evening, I was chatting with a camper who said something that stuck with me. He said, “I really wish I could be my camp self all year long. I’m such a different person at camp, and I really like that person. I want to figure out how to be that person at home.”
Lanakila friendships connect us without the distractions that inhibit us at home. I was blown away by the depth of this statement, but after a few seconds I was able to respond. “The cool thing about Lanakila is that you CAN take that camp self and bring it home,” I answered. “It may not happen overnight, or in a week, or even a month. It takes work. But if you really look at what makes your camp self so important and special, then you can start the process of figuring out how to be that person everyday.” And just like that, the conversation was over — moving instantly from deep philosophy to who would win the winter ping-pong tournament. But the 9-year-old’s question stayed with me, as I think it’s one we ALL ask ourselves: how do we bring our Lanakila selves home with us when we leave Fairlee?
I wish there were a simple answer. I believe there are many lessons from camp that we can take into our day-to-day lives. One that stands out to me is the way we create Lanakila friendships. They are based on trust — that special understanding that you develop spending time at camp together. We commit to each other, knowing that our relationships will be places of safety, humor, telling the truth, and sharing a place that we love. And as a result, we find ourselves growing, learning about ourselves in profound ways. Lanakila friendships connect us without the distractions that inhibit us at home. We focus on listening, kindness, respect, communal living, and the realization that fun is “an inside job.” At camp, we don’t require outside influences or gadgets to entertain us. We know that fun is at our fingertips in the form of a sailboat, a hike up to Eagle’s Bluff, Birthday Night, or simply staring up at the stars on a tent overnight. Of course, there are so many other lessons that we can take home from Lanakila. Although I’ve just been writing about friendships — and thinking of ways I can make caring and deep connections with others like I do camp — I also know that we can take any of the best parts of Lanakila and put them into action at home, in school, and with our friends and families. It just takes a little work and a little bravery. As the year progresses, I wish you lots of joy and the courage to stretch yourself in different ways. I hope 2019 will be your best year ever. This coming summer will be remarkable, and I can’t wait to welcome you home in June! Skol,
BRYAN PARTRIDGE Director of Lanakila