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A Poem for Friends Camp
Friends Camp
 I. How does it start?
with a dream
a hope
a vision
with nothing but a building
some blankets
and a few stalwart souls.
How does it grow?
With faith
hard work
and the joy of creating
Year after year
Decade after decade
into another century
Wider
fuller
deeper
in geography
in numbers
and in love.
II. And how does it start
for this boy
this girl?
Wanting
fearing
Joyful
lonely
 Reaching out into a whole new world
baby steps
backing up
giant steps
Leaping.
Help from all the grownups
when it's wanted
and, especially, when it's needed.
Learning
Growing
Trying on your own
and with others
Expanding mind
and body
and spirit
so much
that when you get back home
your parents stand in awe
of this new person
you have become.
And through the camping years
this boy
this girl
become this man
this woman
Full
compassionate
strong
human beings
far stronger
and far more gentle
than they could have become
without
This
camp.
 III. What is it now
and where does it go
this camp
this well-spring?
Changing
unchanging
Growing
staying the same
What is its effect?
Imagine a pond
a thousand ponds
With one drop of rain
spreading in circles
wider
ever wider
until each part of that pond
of those thousand ponds
has been touched by that single drop of rain.
So, too, each and every child
who has passed through this camp
and is passing
and will pass
Touches others
with quiet witness
of strength wisdom
serenity
and love.
And each of those people
touch others
who touch others still.
Until the message
the spirit
the life
learned here
Will reach all corners of the world
changing not how it turns
but how we live upon it.
One small camp
in one small town
can change the world.
June 21, 2003 Claudia Higgins Holzhauer
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