Everyone that wanted to, was able to do the course. It started with a fireman pole climb, followed by a tightrope that extended between two poles, and finally a zipline to the bottom. All of the courses at the camp are run by couple missionaries who are really wonderful in encouraging and helping everyone have a positive experience. Several of the teenagers went first. They got up there without any fear, but the rest of the group (kids and adults!) were more cautious. It was awesome to see people overcome their fears and be able to do hard, challenging things.
One of my favorite experiences of the day was when 4 year old, Kellen, got up on the Ropes Course. He has lots of older siblings that had done the course, and he wanted to do it so bad. He cruised up the pole, but when he reached the top, he panicked. Seeing that sweet little boy burst into tears on the tight rope, holding on for dear life, was so sad. Everyone was trying to shout words of encouragement to help him. Finally, the Sister missionary at the end of the tight rope got our attention and asked everyone to be quiet. In a soft, soothing voice, she told Kellen to look at her and listen. She told him exactly what to do, step by step. She kept her voice calm and was able to distract him from looking down by asking him questions. Slowly, he moved across the zipline. That wonderful woman got that little 4 year old to the end of the tight rope because she knew exactly what needed to be done and was able to help him feel a little bit of peace and calm, even in the midst of serious fear and turmoil. Looking back, I found a lot of spiritual meaning in the experience. When we are in the midst of challenges or trials, we can feel very scared and anxious because the noise and commotion of the world is coming at us from all sides. If we are able to focus and tune in to that quiet, peaceful voice of the Holy Ghost, He will tell us exactly what we need to do and will guide us through the trial. Relying on the Spirit does not mean that the trial will go away, but we will be able to get through it. We may still have to cross the "tightrope" on our own, but we will receive help every step of the way. In the end, Kellen finished the zipline and was so proud of his accomplishment!
At the very end of our session, little Griffin really wanted to go on the ropes course like his mom and dad. He was too young to go, but the missionaries let him harness up and swung him around on the rope. It was the cutest thing of the whole reunion. His smile was a mile wide, and it was full of pure joy. I think everyone had a good time, and left feeling increased confidence.
When we arrived back at the camp, we knew that we would have to hurry to get everything cleaned up before we had to be out. I walked into the pavilion ready to get to work, but everything was almost completely done. The people who had been able to finish the course the day before, and everyone who had not signed up to do the ropes course had stayed behind to help clean. They had all worked together to get everything looking amazing. I was so grateful that they were willing to take on extra work, so that the others could have that great experience. We spent about an hour doing the finishing touches on the campground to make sure that it was perfect for the next family. Then we had one final family meeting with everyone that was left to discuss the next reunion. We all agreed that we wanted to do another one in two years. All of our Oklahoma cousins volunteered to host it in the Midwest in two years. I am looking forward to going there for the next one, and am glad that it will continue.
Final Thoughts:
I am so full of gratitude for the help and support that Melodie and I received throughout this entire process. Every single person that we asked to help was so willing to step up and go above and beyond what was asked of them. And so many people contributed without ever being asked. It was amazing! A gathering of this size (85-100 people, depending on the day) can not be done successfully without these attitudes of service and love.
As I get older, I realize how unique our family is in this world. We are far from perfect and each deal with our own struggles, but we truly love each other. Not just a broad blanket of family love, but love that extends to an individual level. My cousin, Stef, put it well saying that she was grateful that she had a personal relationship with everyone there. Those personal relationships are the difference between simply having good feelings about your family and actually wanting to be together. We love to be together. We love to play games, have gospel discussions, and spend quality time together. I think much of it can be attributed to the character of my Grandpa and Grandma, who raised their 9 kids with these values. My aunts and uncles are all anchored in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, full of charity and compassion, not easily offended, and quick to forgive. I am grateful for their examples and hope we can instill these same values in our own children. I know the reunions as we know them will eventually have to end as families get larger and need to have their own family gatherings, but as that time approaches, I want to remember the feelings of love and gratitude that I feel now. We are blessed, so very blessed. How grateful I am that Families are Forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment