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The Summer She Had Been Waiting For
My daughter had never been the loudest child in the room.
She was thoughtful, observant, and sometimes shy around new people.
But she loved adventure.
She loved animals, swimming, hiking, drawing, and anything that allowed her to spend time outside.
That was why the summer camp seemed perfect.
When we first visited the website, she immediately pointed to photographs of children hiking through forests and sitting around campfires.
“This is where I want to go,” she said.
I smiled.
“You haven’t even read about it yet.”
“I don’t need to.”
Of course, she eventually read everything.
She learned about the activities, the cabins, the schedule, and the rules.
She watched videos posted by previous campers.
She even created a countdown on her phone.
The application process was straightforward, and after she was accepted, we began preparing.
On the morning we dropped her off, she was excited but nervous.
She hugged me tightly.
“Don’t worry,” I told her. “You’re going to have an amazing time.”
She nodded.
Then she ran toward the other campers.
I watched her disappear through the entrance.
I had no idea that three weeks later, I would be driving back there to bring her home.
The First Few Days Seemed Perfect
During the first week, everything appeared to be going wonderfully.
We exchanged messages according to the camp’s communication rules.Explore Media Degrees
Her first message was short.
“Having fun!!!”
The next day she told me about kayaking.
Then horseback riding.
Then a nighttime campfire.
She talked about two girls she had met and a counselor who apparently made everyone laugh.
For the first time in months, she wasn’t asking to come home.