We had the most upside-down, inside-out, amazing and crazy day! Today was Backwards Day at Camp Highlander. When the 8:00 wakeup bell rang, we ran through camp yelling “It’s Backwards Day…get dressed for Square Dance!” The campers were so confused and surprised and without thinking, they got dressed and came to the dining hall for…dinner! We did our entire day at camp in reverse, starting with dinner and square dance to start the day and we finished with Reflect at the Rock! It was WILD and SO MUCH FUN!
We thrive on structure at Camp Highlander, but real life is not so organized, structured and orderly. Real life is crazy, doesn’t always go the way we think it should and it is sometimes just overwhelming! So today, we practiced being flexible, willing and grateful that even though today didn’t look like we thought it would, it was perfect, fun and full of surprises that we didn’t even know we wanted. Oh, if I could go back and rewind time…I would do it all over again because today was A GREAT DAY TO HAVE A GREAT DAY!
We closed out our day at Reflect at the Rock, which is normally the first part of our day. As I stood back and listened to Lyndsey, our Assistant Program and Media Director, give today’s reflect at 9:15 pm, I was moved to tears as she reminded us to stay positive in all things that life gives us. In a world where anxiety robs our children from daily joy, we were reminded today that joy is waiting for us around every turn if we just embrace it. I was so moved by Lyndsey’s reflect that I wanted to share it with our parents and camp family!
- Happy backwards day! Today has been so much fun! And it has been so great watching you all jump in, feet first, to the fun…to the uncertainty, the, at times, confusion, the excitement, the newness…all day long! Life has a way of surprising us with unexpected changes. Like an afternoon thunderstorm that cancels your swim test, or a leadership team member running into your cabin at 8am telling you it’s backwards day and to…get ready for square dance…? These surprises can turn our world upside down when we least expect it. Some surprises, like backwards day, are silly and harmless, but there are other surprises that you will face in your lifetime that will feel big, and hard to understand. And it’s during these times that maintaining a positive attitude becomes both a challenge and a necessity. And while it’s natural to feel overwhelmed or disheartened, it’s crucial to remember that within every challenge, no matter how big or how small, lies an opportunity for growth and transformation. These moments of upheaval add depth and color to our lives. They shape us into more compassionate, understanding, and resilient people. And sometimes even lead us to try something new and exciting. Like nighttime zip lining, an early morning square dance, a late night pool party, or a big game of bombardment with all your brother cabins… So when things don’t go as you expect, remind yourself that it’s okay to feel out of control momentarily. Acknowledge your emotions, but don’t let them define your outlook. Instead, focus on what you can learn from the situation. Because staying positive doesn’t mean ignoring difficulties or pretending everything is perfect. It means choosing to see the silver linings, even when things don’t go your way. And today, you did just that. Because we can plan backwards day, give you a print out schedule of what is happening when and where, and get excited ourselves about the change…but what we can’t plan is the reactions. The Hilltop campers coming down to the bell this morning giggling about starting our day with dinner, or the look of absolute shock, in a good way, that I saw on Kayla’s face and the jumping up and down in excitement from Mario when Mac announced that it was time to cut loose during the first five minutes of Square Dance. It’s moments like these, and days like today, that remind me to look for the magic in every moment and to find joy in the unexpected. So, when things don’t go as you expect them to, remember to keep a positive attitude. Because sometimes, the most unforgettable moments happen when you least expect them. And here at Camp Highlander, there’s always magic to be found, even on the craziest of days.
Favorite Details of the Day
- Weather: Amazing! Warm sunshine all day and a cool breeze tonight! High of 90 and low of 58! Seriously, how is that possible? Only in the Western North Carolina mountains!
- Meals: For dinner (at 8:45 am) we had chicken and waffles and a fruit bar. For lunch we had walking tacos, homemade guacamole, sandwich bar and salad bar. For breakfast (at 6:00 pm) we had egg and sausage casserole, ham and cheese croissants, hash browns, cereal, a sandwich bar and a salad bar. I love that after dinner (at 9:15 this morning) the dining hall erupted in the Gus’ chant before Camper’s Choice announcements. Bryan agreed we would have Gus’, and we did…after squared dance at 11:00 am. It was amazing! Every single element of surprise today was so much fun!
- EP: Our evening program (at 9:45 am) was Square Dance. The gym was completely overwhelmed when the start of square dance was Footloose. Footloose is the line dance that typically ends every square dance, but today it was the first thing we did and there was no better way to kick up the energy and get everyone excited for the day ahead! I loved watching the campers and staff embrace the day and soak up each and every moment of their last full day in cabin groups. Backwards day was truly the best way to make us all appreciate this amazing gift we have in Camp Highlander!
About Melissa Fitzgerald
