Happy Am I!!

The bridge over Kelly’s Creek at Camp Winnataska.

♪ ♫ ♬
Happy am I at Winnataska
Singing a song the whole day long
Come and join in our song
Bum bum, bum bum
At Winnataska!!
♪ ♫ ♬

By now, my KFC readers are noticing a wide variety of subjects from my life.  This week it’s about Camp Winnataska, a sleep-away Christian camp about an hour east of Birmingham.

When I was around 7 years old my mother, Madelyn Johnston Rowell, wanted me to go to sleep-away camp at Winnataska.  At that time, they held one to two-week camp sessions for boys only as well as the same for girls only.  Over time, the girl’s camps became much more popular!

However, my family couldn’t afford to send me to camp, so mother volunteered to be a camp director.  It turned out it was the most fun and rewarding purpose of her life, in spite of her long list of community involvement and achievements (including president of the Alabama Federation of Women’s Club, chair of the city’s Beautification Board, the first female board member of the area boy scout council, …)  But it was Winnataska and its leaders and campers that she loved the most.  In fact, at her funeral several people came up to me to express their fondness of Winnataska and their memories of mother’s glee while there.  She was girls’ camp director for 17 summers.

Being a bit shy in my younger days, I was a little nervous about having my mother as the camp director.  But it turned out just fine.  Both of us experienced such joy while at camp. I am confident that those summer experiences increased the positive vibrations of the universe.  It certainly increased mine!

♪ ♫ ♬
The camp that we love the best of all
Winnataska is its name
The spirit through
Each girl it knew
Adds to its wondrous fame
Kelly Creek we love
And the skies above
Fade to lovely evening glow

And the mountainside
And the blue blue skies
Winnataska – we love you so!
♪ ♫ ♬

There I am. In 1964. A Pueblo camper. I’m third from the left on the next to last row.

Winnataska is in my blood. Although I haven’t been there in decades, I can quickly pull up all types of scenes there – creating all types of fun creations in the craft hut, horseback riding, paddling a row boat down Kelly’s Creek, learning how to swim in Kelly’s Creek and then in the new pool, cooking over a homemade fire when we slept in a tent once, the wonderful tradition of participating in the Holy Grail event the last night of each camp session – when leaders played the roles of King Arthur and his court, as they portrayed a beautiful rendition – by candlelight – of the Holy Grail.  And then there were the Sunday evening mountain top vespers in front of the rugged cross.

I think every girl should have such an experience!  My heart is full – even now – when I breathe in those memories and send them out to the universe.  Mother always felt the same way, too!

Winnataska – we love you so!!!

Our Light Within

Sometimes we “let” the world snuff out the bright light within ourselves.  The long-held belief that outer circumstances can make you happy or angry or sad is bunk.  How we respond to those outside influences is what affects our well-being.  I know this in spades from my recent experiences – the identity theft, the flooding of our home, and the hospitalization of my husband last week for what was early on thought to be a stroke.  I’ll confess, I sometimes was upset on a scale of 7 to 10 for each of those shocks.   I had to work extremely hard to keep focused and calm.  However, as I look back on them, I am hearing at this very moment some very talented people putting in new flooring, baseboards and painting – and happiness and hope bubbles up once again.  Tomorrow more talented people will arrive to install a beautiful new closet system in our master bedroom and to put the house back in order (you should see where my clothes and shoes are now stashed, ladies!)

Such examples are God’s reminder that he is the one in charge.  We are invited to welcome the solutions to all things in chaos, accept them and embrace them.  Can we apply that supposition to all of the chaos that is going on in the universe?  Yes!  Do we have a role in helping others right the wrongs?  Yes!  (Be a part of the solution, NOT a part of the problem!)

I can and do make a difference.  In my family, in my community, and, therefore, in the world.  I’ll bet you do, too!

My friend, Annarose who is running for Mayor in northeast town, is a stellar example of that.  As the last blog stated, “we are made to persist”. Annarose persists every day being present for others, leading groups for change in her community, and modeling a life full of high integrity that we all hope for from our community leaders.  She believes in herself, her family and her community.  I do, too.

Her reactions make a difference.  Do yours?

Is your inner light glowing right now?  Call someone right now and share your light!!

“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this — you haven’t.“ – Thomas Edison