CALL TO WORSHIP:
This is the day the Lord hath made. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord Who made heaven and earth. I need not shout my faith Thrice eloquent the quiet trees And green listening sod. Hushed are the stars whose power is never spent. The hills are mute, yet how they speak of God. Good morning Camp Timanous. To borrow the words of the great Neil Young, it is the pleasure and honor of my life to be up here on this stage with these people today, and I mean that with complete sincerity. I have been writing this chapel for over three years now, and it is the culmination of consecutive years of growth and self-discovery, most of which was aided by Timanous. Overall, it is about emotion, and, to stray slightly from my main message to expound upon something one of the biggest mentors in my life, Evan Cummings, once touched on at this hallowed lectern, true masculinity is found in being vulnerable, in being open to emotion and feeling and allowing these to permeate your life and your relationships. Camp Timanous was one of the first places that taught me that, and for that and a thousand other reasons, I am eternally grateful to Timanous. I wouldn’t be half the older boy I am today without the unabating assistance and encouragement of the greater Timanous and Wohelo family, and that is something I hope each and every one of you seated today are able to experience as you grow older. At its core, Timanous teaches appreciation: of those that came before you at camp, those you are blessed to spend your summers with, and the places and opportunities that come to shape your own individual experience, so I would be remiss to not mention some of those that helped me on my journey. I am eternally thankful to my parents, the steady rocks of my life, who allowed me the freedom to discover the person that I am. I am thankful for my sister, whose consistent and enduring role as life compatriot has supported me innumerably. I am thankful to my Crows cabin, the very best friends I have in life: Thomas Walker, Ryan Neafsey, Jeremy Cutler, Brendan Gray, Aidan Bloom, Tim LaPrade, George Walker, and honorary member Sean Chamberlain. Other relationships, like those with Liam Prior, Sam Sawyers, Jack Hamilton, Will Danforth, and Reid Temple, have shown me the true depths of friendships and provided me with more than can be quantified. I would also like to shout out Reid individually, as his noble and incredibly gracious action of letting me give this final chapel is one of the greatest acts of friendship I can remember. I am grateful to have become lifelong friends with those that I looked up as my counselors and still look up to to this day: Jimmy Poulin, Pat Hayes, Michael Beam, James Temple, Tommy Hauldren, Evan Cummings and Dan Prior (who were my Aides all the way back in Herons 2011), and countless others down the line. I have so much gratitude for those that have shown me the spirit of adventure in its truest form, and living a life of nonconformity. This sort of friendship that Timanous is able to foster is a gift of indescribable proportions. I would also like to take a moment to appreciate the nursing staff, the integral matriarchs of camp. Jess, Jen, and Ashley do not get the appreciation they deserve for the unbelievable amount of commitment and dedication they have bestowed upon this camp. I would like to appreciate the thankless work of Gabby in the office, who ensures that camp stays running while the rest of us get to goof off and have fun. I would also like to express appreciation for Bob and the entire kitchen staff, for camp would surely grind to a halt without them. The service Bob Simmons has given this camp has forever shaped its course, and that fact should not be forgotten. I must stop here, as this would far exceed the normal length of a chapel if I were to list everyone I am appreciative for, so for the sake of brevity, I will move on, but, if you take away but one message from this rambling affair, let it be this: please, please make the time and effort to express your appreciation for the people and things that are important to you. Especially, thank those that often go unthanked. Expressing this appreciation will not only ensure those that you care about know just how important they are to you, but it has also been scientifically proven, as pointed out by the wise sage that is my mother, that expressing appreciation and gratuities on a daily basis makes you happier overall. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions and assists in building stronger relationships, so I ask you all to express your appreciations, freely and without restriction. SONG: Magnolia - JJ Cale I am here to advocate for eccentricity, for exuberance, and for exultation. The Three E’s, if you will. Seeing as I have a rather tumultuous grasp on the English language as a whole, I will define these words over the course of the ensuing sections for you all. Let me begin with eccentricity. The quality of eccentricity is defined as unconventional and slightly strange, and, when referring to a thing, not placed centrally or not having an axis centrally located. Just a bit left of center, if you will. To quote the legendary David Bowie, “I find only freedom in the realm of eccentricity.” Delving into eccentricity is truly liberating to me, as it allows an individual the ability to break free from the monotonous and mundane norms of what a person ought to be and what they should be striving for in life. To borrow again from a person far wiser than myself, this time the philosopher John Stuart Mill, “The amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of time.” That Mill compares eccentricity so closely to individuality is essential. The quality of eccentricity can often be interpreted, and - for the sake of this chapel - will be interpreted as, living off the route of typical success. I think eccentric people are especially adept at finding their own path through life, one that strays from the traditional approach. Society teaches you to follow a regimented, predetermined direction that takes you from one institution to another in the most rapid procession possible, all with the goal of achieving, in my mind, an outdated/antiquated view of “success,” i.e, getting the best grades possible, progressing to the highest level of classes, and stacking your plate with internships and other obligations in the hopes it will lead you to typical professional success. There is plenty of merit in that route, of course, but it has never really appealed to me. Atypical success, that of fulfillment of mind, body, and spirit on a regular basis, is what I believe people should strive for more often. I do not think the goal should be to become the best at what you do; instead, be the only one that does what you do. To finish this section with words from the prophet of the sound, Jerry Garcia, “All I know is, if you listen to society, you’ll never get anywhere!” We now turn to exuberance, which is defined as the quality of being full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness. Exuberance is a critical necessity, for life is rendered boring without it. Intense emotion being drawn out by simplistic, everyday things, like the twilight glow over Main Dock, the way the trees wave about during gusts of wind, or the glorious canopy of stars residing above us every night, only serves to make life more fun. And what is life about if having fun isn’t a central goal? To alter a line from the most significant lyricist in the history of music, Robert Hunter, “without fun in the dream it’ll never come true.” Simple pleasure, and the capacity at which you are able to access it, are two of the most important things I’ve tried to inject into my life, and it is directly because of Timanous that I have learned this. Those that can find something wonderful and exciting in the everyday lead brilliant and animated lives, so cherish each day, and the trials and tribulations that come along with them, for almost all forms of adversity you will face are alleviated by the expression of joy at what is around you and what you are doing. After all, those that savor the mundane will never lead a boring day in their lives. SONG: Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show Finally, we move to exultation, which is defined as triumphant elation or jubilation; rejoicing. The winning C-Flag feeling, the victoriously exhilarating barnburner of a Twilight League win feeling, the achieving a long sought-after award feeling, etcetera. Yet, I do not think the spirit of exuberance lies solely within tangible, measurable accomplishments. Certainly, I know the joy of exuberance in a setting like a sports field, but I think the merit of exuberance lies more strongly outside of traditional settings. Consider the last word of the definition: rejoicing. Anyone can rejoice on a daily basis, without being prompted by specific achievements or feats. Rejoicing can occur regularly - rejoice at the site of corndogs for dinner, rejoice at the prospect of having met a new friend, rejoice at the tranquil glory of a post-dinner field sesh and how the grass seems to envelop you in a comforting hug - even just the gradual fulfillment of a great day, a day truly well lived. Exult in your accomplishments, however small or insignificant society might deem them - they are yours and no one else’s, and life is nothing without being able to indulge in improvement and progress. Never let anyone belittle your dreams or your goals, for listening to such detractors will only instill roadblocks in your head that need not exist. Share exultation in others' accomplishments as heartily as you do your own, as well; you might quickly realize that helping or supporting someone else towards a goal of their own can be just as rewarding as reaching your own. The shared camaraderie of working together towards an objective, be it an award, individual personal attribute, or the establishment of a relationship, is something that can brighten up even the darkest of days. It should be mentioned that Timanous is already overflowing with the Three E’s I discussed, but any healthy community can always use a little more eccentricity, a little more exuberance, and a little more exultation. Take these lofty qualities and implement them into your lives, both at Timanous and points unknown, in order to spread the virtue of living a little left of center, a life of celebration, of excitement, and of joy. It will only serve to benefit you in your own individual pursuits. To bring this chapel to a close, I would like to remind you that Timanous is an eternal connection. While the physical summer might be winding to its fateful close, the relationships that have been made and the lessons taught here persist throughout the entire calendar year. When you find yourself doodling a Timanous T on your math homework during class, think of the virtues Timanous preaches, and what it means to be a Timanous individual. Timanous bestows upon its members a unique responsibility, to take the spirit of this place and bring it to every corner of the world that you interact with. That responsibility should never feel like a burden though; rather, embrace this task with vigor, with eccentricity, with exuberance, and with exultation. To those pondering whether or not to come back to Timanous next summer, be it in green or in gray, I will say that following in the lineage of the T is the greatest gift you will ever receive. As a result of this summer, Timanous has left an indelible mark on everyone in attendance today; do not forget about its impact, no matter how far you may stray from 85 Plains Road, because Timanous will remain with you in perpetuity. For my final song, I would like to have everyone sing Ripple, by the Grateful Dead, which has special significance to me and the relationship with my father, as both of our high school yearbook quotes sample from it. The quote is as follows: “there is a road, no simple highway, between the dawn and the dark of night, and if you go, no one may follow, that path is for your steps alone.” SONG: Ripple - Grateful Dead SALUTATION OF THE DAWN: Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence: The bliss of growth; the glory of action; the splendor of beauty, For yesterday is already a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision. But today well lived makes every yesterday A dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day! Such is the salutation of the dawn. It’s said that when you’re speaking in front of a group, never to point out your own flaws, as that points the audience’s attention to only see that shortcoming. But truth be told, right now I’m terrified, my legs are shaking, my mouth is dry and my heart is racing. All I can hear is a boom-boom-boom in my ears. I’m taking a risk, I’m uncomfortable.
You probably know how I’m feeling right now. Maybe it was when you changed to a new school, at the end of a close game or even on your first day at camp. The things that make me uncomfortable, may be different than the things that make you, but I bet we have all felt this way. When you feel this way, you’ve probably left your comfort zone and ventured into a place where the future is unknown, somewhere where your prone to failure. Often the first step to success, to enjoying something new is to take that first step, that leap of faith and place ourselves somewhere uncomfortable. But that leap isn’t easy, we second guess ourselves and often talk ourselves down to where its comfortable before our adventure has even begun. But that boom, boom, boom filling your chest and your head doesn’t need to be a sound that’s scary, a sound that signals your doing something you shouldn’t be; somewhere you shouldn’t be. Instead, let that boom, boom, boom be the sound of your own war drum, signaling the opportunity for something new, a door being blow wide to something amazing. Let those drum beats push you forward. But just by taking that risk, our work isn’t done. It’s in our nature to just take a baby step out of our comfort zone, dip our toe in the water. But just by taking a step of our comfort zone, we haven’t assured our success, instead we have placed ourselves in the bullseye of failure and this is where the real work begins. Unfortunately, simply taking that risk and stepping into the unknown isn’t enough, but is only the price of admission. Still an excellent start. Consider that a risk wouldn’t really be a risk without the potential for failure. And those failures will happen if you are tenacious enough to keep taking that first step. Sometimes when we take this leap of faith, we come out lucky, and everything goes swimmingly. But it also, more likely will take a couple attempts, a couple failures. And to be frank, failure hurts it really stinks. I think often when people talk about the proverbial path to success, they mention failure being a stop on the path, but don’t really discuss about how hard that failure can be. How much it can hurt, how it can isolate you, make you feel ashamed for even trying. It can be an immensely lonely and crushing feeling. SONG – Cats in the Cradle So how do we deal with failure, how do we continue to push ourselves. Well, I believe one of the most important character traits that people posses is grit. Grit is a mix of both courage and resolve. You need to be brave enough to keep trying but have enough resolve to stay the course and keep at it. And you guys are really lucky, if you spend time at Timanous you can’t help but to develop this grit. And by the end of this summer, and the end of a long string summers here at Timanous you will find yourself with more grit than the average person. But grit requires self-confidence, grit requires believing that you are enough and that you will get there. So, when you are faced with failure, remember that failure doesn’t have to be the final page in your book. You get to decide when to throw in the towel, and that power is an amazing one. It gives you exclusive ability to say when you’re done, that your happy with how your story goes. What an incredible thing, you can have grit, simply because you decide that you are enough and that you will keep going. Don’t be ashamed of your failure, don’t just hide it away in darkest reaches of your mind and forget about it. Be honest about how it makes you feel, both with yourself and others. Put a name to both that feeling and the opportunity it has given you, the opportunity to improve. Don’t struggle alone and don’t let each other struggle alone. If you are struggling, accept help and if you’re lucky enough to be comfortable in something someone else is struggling with, offer help and encouragement. Remember how you may have felt on your road to where you are now. SONG – Friend of the Devil Leaving this chapel I have two charges for you. The first is time your faced with something new, a risk or something uncomfortable, take that leap of faith, let your own war drum lead you on an adventure, pay that price of admission to something amazing. It might not be easy, but if it is something that matters to you, once you start, don’t stop, keep improving, keep working hard and don’t get discouraged. Don’t throw in the towel until your doing it on your own terms. Your risk could take any forms, maybe it’s trying to make a new friend, attempting something new at camp, or retrying something you recently failed at. Even giving a chapel. So on to my second charge, if you see someone in this situation, uncomfortable and trying, offer them help if you can, or just support them. If they have failed, cushion that failure, help them bear it, but also celebrate its necessity. If they have succeeded celebrate that with them as well, help them see their small successes. Either way, lift them up. And I can tell you there is no better place to take a risk than at Timanous, it’s somewhere where these ideas are often second nature. We are both surrounded by people will lift us up and given ample opportunity to practice risk taking and grit. SONG – Wooded Path Look to this day. For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of beauty. Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day. Such is the salutation of the dawn. I. Call To Worship
This is the day the Lord hath made. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord Who made heaven and earth. I need not shout my faith Thrice eloquent the quiet trees And green listening sod. Hushed are the stars whose power is never spent. The hills are mute, yet how they speak of God. II. Be Kind What a joy it is to be with you in green and grey Cozy round a fire on this drizzly summer day In times like these I can’t believe I ever could feel down Listening as the raindrops fall in symphony all around. But there will come a time, no doubt, when this is but a dream And darker thoughts begin to sprout like reeds beside a stream And if those reeds grow thick and fast they’ll dam your fluid mind The buoyant lesson won’t float past -- the lesson to be kind. You cannot bear it all alone Be kind to yourself. You’re always growing, never grown Be kind to yourself. The bar you set is in your head Be kind to yourself. Who you’ll become is still ahead Be kind to yourself. All you can do’s your very best Be kind to yourself. You’re loved ten times what you would guess Be kind to yourself. When life grows dark and full of clouds Be kind to yourself You cannot help but make us proud Be kind to yourself. III. SONG -- You’ve Got A Friend And now please rise off your rear end Turn to page 30: You’ve Got A Friend IV. Growing Pains The loudest sound you’ll ever hear is the voice inside your head Your self-esteem (or lack thereof) is shaped by what is said Since Falcons year I’ve journaled; kept a record of that voice That led me sometimes to despair and sometimes to rejoice. A mighty Falcon in ‘04, I frankly was obsessed With the Woodsmen and the Voyageurs – you probably could have guessed. I reckoned that the question whether I was good or bad Was settled by the votes of boys, which in hindsight now seems mad. The Woodsmen took me in that year, along with my best friend I figured my internal doubts had finally reached their end. That nomination proved to be a blessing and a curse In some ways life grew better then, in some ways it grew worse. For now my journal entries filled with agonized essays On whether I in fact deserved this public camper praise. The voice inside grew louder then; I’d hear it more and more Suggesting I was good outside but rotten at my core. First as a Falcon, then a Raven, Cardinal, and Crow, Each year the record of my faults reliably would grow. And as I wrote, I amplified the voice inside my head So every page ignored the good and logged the bad instead. One summer I neglected to earn any camp award Instead enjoying hanging out but never feeling bored. And yet when Banquet night arrived I felt a wave of shame As if I’d wasted seven weeks – a summer down the drain. And even as a mighty Crow I found it mighty tough To look back on my camp career and think it was enough. Why hadn’t I won that last game? Or earned that spot on the Hall of Fame? Or treated everyone the same? I had no one but me to blame. I wonder where this voice comes from, this darkness in the heart. When did we learn to spurn ourselves? At what age did it start? If you ask me (and no one did) I’d say it’s closely tied To thinking that you know it all; a stubborn sort of pride. What if of all you claim to know you only knew a part? What might you learn if you’d discern you’re really not so smart? Often what we take for fact proves fiction over time. What’s true, what’s your reality will change just as did mine. For as a mighty Mallard I considered myself wise I knew that all my counselors had battled Russian spies I knew that ancient dinosaurs lurked deep in Panther Pond Not in the lane lines – there you’re safe – but only just beyond. Of course, by Crows I’d grown, and so, that all seemed quite naïve. I cringed at all the silly things that I once had believed. And yet those things were just replaced with equally loose “facts,” Like camp’s not about what you give but what you can extract. And still today as an adult I struggle to concede That life is not as black-and-white as I had once decreed. That maybe things aren’t set in stone, that maybe I can grow If I admit that there exist some things that I don’t know. See, when you claim to know it all, then there’s no room for error. The tyranny of surety becomes a reign of terror. You can’t forgive yourself for that missed shot, that loss, that grade Without admitting you have flaws -- of which you’re too afraid. This day you are wiser than you were the day before. However much you knew back then, at this point you know more. But don’t set limits to your growth, don’t claim you’re fully formed Lest tomorrow humbles you; consider yourself warned. A tree does not know limits; it grows both up and down Striving toward the sky above and deep into the ground. It twists and turns, falls and rebounds in unexpected ways, Adapting and persisting right up to its final days. So too should we allow for growth that’s not just straight and tall, Forgive the zigs and zags and splits; errors are part of it all. The loudest voice you’ll ever hear is the voice inside your head With practice, patience, modesty, it can be kind instead. V. SONG -- The Weight Now I ask you rise once more To sing The Weight: page twenty-four. VI. If Only You Could See Yourself If only you could see yourself the way that others do, You’d laugh at all the silly things you once held to be true. Like how your Twilight up-at-bat made you a laughingstock Or that it’s wrong to feel homesick, a feeling they would mock. Or maybe you think you’re too odd; that you just don’t fit in There’s no one who appreciates your quirkiness within. You fear that you will be revealed a phony or a fraud You’re barely able to maintain an adequate façade. Too short, too loud, too slow, too old, you might think in your head, You fill your mind with words unkind that no one ever said. But I assure you: no one sees the things you’re fearful of Cause here at Camp Timanous you are always known and loved. We love how every summer you bring your authentic self No posturing, no masquerading like you’re someone else. We’re proud of your ambition, your initiative and grit When tough stuff becomes tougher you resolve to stick with it. We love that you can make us laugh, but also think, or cry, We love that you can share your joy and make it multiply. We love that you are vulnerable, someone we look up to We model parts of our own lives on what we love in you. We love you not for what you’ve done but how you make us feel How at the mention of your name comes a grin we can’t conceal. We love you on your worst days and we love you on your best We love you for your virtues, vices, faults, and all the rest. I wish I had a mirror at camp to show you what I see To show how proud I am of you, how much you mean to me. You’d puff your chest, you’d raise your eyes, might gain an inch or two If only you could see yourself the way that others do. VII. With A Little Help From My Friends With A Little Help From My Friends, straight Shall we turn to page twenty-eight. VIII. Timanous Prayer Together we give thanks for the joy of fellowship For the beauty of our surroundings: The tall trees, and sparking lake, The life which teems around us in the woods. The skies and clear waters. We thank thee for the love of doing things, For active bodies and minds alert. For the excitement of something new And the comfort of things which are old. For all these we give thanks; For the cool and quiet of evening, The restfulness of night, The glory of starry skies, The new life which comes with showers, For our elder and families who have given us our homes, And for the trials which help us to know ourselves. For all these, we give thanks. IX. Salutation of the Dawn Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence: The bliss of growth; the glory of action; the splendor of beauty, For yesterday is already a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision. But today well lived makes every yesterday A dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day! Such is the salutation of the dawn. I’m extremely grateful to be delivering a chapel to you this summer. A chapel I began planning three years ago, while hunkering in a tent with Sam Hollister on New Zealand’s Tasman glacier. This was the last section of our ninety day course in New Zealand with NOLS, a school which teaches leadership in the outdoors. Often while on that glacier I found myself pondering how NOLS and Timanous were so similar which soon led me to think about a concept often touted during our course: Tolerance for Adversity and Uncertainty.
This was a skill I was unknowingly introduced to at Timanous. Through cold instructional swim mornings, cabin clean up, and all the struggles that naturally arise when living in close proximity to eleven other young boys. I also noted the importance of this skill on several past camping trips with Timanous; for instance, my Crows rafting trip, which was four days long that year. All four days it rained constantly and rather consistently, in an effort to void this thought from our minds, we all spent a majority of the time trying to build a fire and then keeping it going, which was not easy. McKenna Douglas stands out in my mind as the beating heart of this operation, providing infinite entertainment as he broke large sticks with his muscles or more often than not, failed to do so. Here at camp, we understand the value in working together through whatever adversity or uncertainty we’re dealt, and laughing all the way. SONG – Wagon Wheel Humor and levity are essential tools in lessening the burden felt by uncertainty and adversity. Timanous staff are well trained in the art of goofing off and when to deploy the goof. This is why we often finish camping trips with a handful of new recurring jokes, characters, and sayings. Most critical to this humor during our most challenging moments is the knowledge that it isn’t how we fail or make errors that defines us but how we recover from those failures. Laughing at one’s self when you’ve made “the most foolish of blunders” is an integral part in letting yourself get back up and continue on. On that same trip to New Zealand with Sam, we were unexpectedly forced to break camp and move it to higher ground to avoid being flooded out by a rapidly rising river. While moving camp our instructor, Dana Sykora, tried testing a puddle to see how deep it may have gotten during the torrential rains. Instead of timidly stepping in foot by foot, she just jumped right in, thinking it might five inches deep or so. Instead, she sank right in- completely submerged up to her belly button, then looked at us all giving her horrified and sympathetic expressions and burst out laughing. This is by far the best example of laughing at one’s self and has stuck in my mind to serve me in trying times since. By the time that Dana was up to her hips in muddy water she couldn’t do anything to take back jumping in. All she could do at that point was wait until camp was set up again and she could change into something drier but because what was done was done and the solution wasn’t immediate, all she could do in the meantime was see the hilarity of the situation and laugh at it like we were while watching. It is my strongly held belief that at the heart of any good leader is the to understand that what doesn’t kill them makes them stronger. SONG – Let it Be Second to humor and humility in combating the challenges that we face; is the friends and companions we surround ourselves while enduring such challenges. There is something significantly more comforting about knowing there are others suffering with you than going about it alone. For me this is why I would talk to everyone in math class before we handed in our homework, because I wanted to have some comradery in knowing that I in fact had not done it. Not only is it nice to know others are suffering with you, but even better, to know that they’ll help you through it. Again; I’ll lean on my extensive time with NOLS to demonstrate the value of surrounding yourself with people who you can rely on during hard times. Imagine lifting the war canoes with your cabin and carrying them down to main dock for some odd reason. When you first set out it will be equal weight resting on everybody’s shoulders, but as you pick your way through the rocks and roots outside hawks. The weight will naturally have to shift to a few people as others step around and over the many obstacles laid out for them and this will constantly be changing as you make your way through the gauntlet depending on which route you take. If your companions are Timanous men then eventually you will indeed make it to main dock without dropping the canoe. Most likely you’ll shoulder someone else’s weight and they will do the same for you at some point on that journey. Bottom line, you made it to main dock without dropping the canoe because you all trusted the rest of your cabin to help you out if needed, and were willing to do the same for them. Institutions like Timanous and NOLS have shown me that this concept of “Tolerance for Adversity and Uncertainty” means more than just making it through challenging times but thriving on them. In both places we do this by embracing challenges with the understanding that there must be an end to them, an end that will only come quicker through hard work, goofiness, and a strong network of friends to go through it with us. SONG - Lean On Me Look to this day. For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of beauty. Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day. Such is the salutation of the dawn. Closing Song – What a Wonderful World Good morning. It is an honor to be standing here today at this most esteemed lectern. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share a few words with all of you in this serene place. And, if I’m not mistaken, this chapel under the tent is a Timanous first. Even 104 years in, Timanous continues to innovate, adapt, and move with the times… Although the time we spend together here at chapel is quite different from the normal hustle and bustle of camp life, I encourage you to appreciate and enjoy this quiet space. See the calm moments we have here together as a chance to relax, to admire the natural beauty and tradition that surrounds us here, to hear the sound of the rain falling, and enjoy the company of your peers. This is a time to reflect, to sing songs, and to reconnect with the present moment—this moment. So, on that note, I invite each of you to take a deep breath, look around, and listen…Take the time to slow down, sit with your thoughts, and simply be at ease.
I love Sundays at Timanous. I think the change from our usual day-to-day schedule gives me a chance to catch my breath, to press the reset button, and to center myself. I look back at the week that just passed by, and I look forward to the days and weeks ahead. Believe me, seven weeks at camp will pass in the blink of an eye. And although I feel sometimes like the days blur together, Sundays remain distinct, marking the passage of the summer. We change our sheets on Sundays. We write letters on Sundays. We sing to the chefs, and we gather together as a whole camp, both here and at council fire. On Sundays, more so than any other day, I think, the T’s on our shirts are a visual reminder that we are all united in body, mind, and spirit. Let’s be clear: each of us is beyond lucky to be wearing the Timanous T right now. To be a camper or counselor at Timanous is not only a pleasure but also a privilege. As we all learned last year, a summer at Timanous cannot be taken for granted. But, as fate would have it, we find ourselves here at Timanous this summer. Therefore we all have a responsibility to make the most of our time together. We are fortunate to be a part of this—to be included in the best community in the world. As Pineman said last week, many of the people sitting beside you, whether you know it or not, will remain your friends for the rest of your lives. So what are you waiting for? Get involved. Try something new. And don’t forget to enjoy yourself. To quote the great Ferris Bueller: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” SONG – Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival As I was thinking about what I would say up here today, I realized something: I cannot possibly express everything that Timanous means to me in words. When I first arrived as a heron in 2009 I was a totally different person. Nervous, overwhelmed, and homesick, I remember feeling the whole spectrum of emotions during my first week at Timanous. It took a little while, but I eventually figured out how things work around here. One day, one of my cabin mates with electric blonde hair asked me if I wanted to go out sailing. At the time, I had never been in a sailboat before. And although it wasn’t even a windy day, I was scared. But I decided to go, and floating out there on a sunfish with Jimmy Banta was without a doubt the highlight of my summer. When I look back at that experience, the first word that comes to mind is gratitude. I am grateful to my dear friend Jimmy for taking me out, for teaching me how to sail, and for introducing me to the spirit of inclusion that exists here at Timanous. The following summer, I had the pleasure of dining in the barn at a table with a young first year camper named Andy Thompson. When I talked with Andy recently, both of us vividly remember meeting around the table—and I am grateful for that experience too. I am grateful to have met Sam Hollister in 2011—even then he was a dedicated Red Sox fan—and I am grateful for the cookouts I enjoyed as a Crow alongside two Mallards named Archer Snell and Griffin Walsh. And in addition I am grateful for all the guys in green here who were once my counselors—Beamer, Dustin, Aidan, Jimmy, and Pat. Put simply, I am grateful to have grown up at Timanous. I am grateful to have been molded by the culture of mutual respect and kindness that campers and counselors cultivate here. I encourage each of you to take a moment now to think about the ways in which you are grateful. SONG – For What It’s Worth, Buffalo Springfield I have a message for anyone here wondering about his place at Timanous. Maybe you’re new to camp. Maybe, like I did, you feel overwhelmed by everything we do here. Or maybe, after skipping last summer, you’ve found it challenging to get back into the rhythm of camp life…whatever it may be, here’s my message: if you are willing to approach new things with an open mind, you too will feel gratitude for all of the experiences you will have here. Don’t wait—go for it. Say yes to everything. Ask questions. Dive off the tower. Sign up for beginners waterskiing. Please, gentlemen, do not be afraid to fall. As the Chinese philosopher Confucius wisely said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Now I want to speak to the returning campers. If you think you have this place figured out, if you are thinking to yourself, “nothing scares me anymore…” Well then I have news: it’s on you to be an adventurous, inclusive friend. Offer to take a new friend out in a sailboat and don’t take no for an answer. Ask someone if they want to play knockout one morning or hit dingers on the field during free time. Never let a friend walk up or down the bunk line alone. Say hello to folks as you cross paths between activities. Make it your business to help a new guy enjoy this place. And never hesitate to share your knowledge with those who could use it. And never hesitate to express gratitude to those who have helped you along the way. If you consider yourself a well-versed man of Timanous, then it’s your duty to introduce others to that spirit of Timanous that we all love so deeply. SONG – Uncle John’s Band, Grateful Dead Before we leave here, I have a challenge for each of you. Forget about the drizzly weather for a moment—take a second to sit back and observe…I challenge all of you, whenever you find a spare moment, to take a journey to our traditional chapel, lie down on a bench, and admire the tops of the trees. You’ll notice how the trees sway in the breeze. Despite their old age and enormous size, they are willing to move about however the wind chooses. They are flexible. But, if you look at a tree’s trunk back down on the ground, you’ll remember: these trees never lose their grip on the earth. They are sturdy and strong, with deep, deep roots. This sort of flexibility and strength is what I wish for each of you. Let us learn how to be flexible through windy conditions and strong in the face of adversity. And finally, I want to close by stating the simple and elegant creed of the most righteous Bill and Ted. “Be excellent to each other.” If you are able to carry yourself with a spirit of kindness, inclusion, respect, and excellence, your days here and elsewhere will be filled with adventure and joy. Look to this day. For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of beauty. Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day. Such is the salutation of the dawn. |
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January 2024
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