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. Timanous has been quite the exciting place to be recently! The last stretch of camp is absolutely packed with special events. In a typical year, we would send a contingent to the annual Casco Days for a 4 mile road race and festival afterward. This year, we put on our own "Congo Days," named after our Mallards cabin and Handicrafts head counselor Mike "Congo" Congleton. It was a carnival with the camp touch, including traditional lawn games like corn hole, to unique events like tossing tennis balls onto the giant tent trying to get them to funnel down into a series of bins below. And, it wouldn't be complete without a little fried dough! Our campcraft counselors, excellent chefs in any situation, had the most popular station of the day serving up a variety of goodies. There was lots of spirit all around. Another tradition that got a 2021 twist was Horse Races, our annual night of counselor skits. Instead of doing them in the Hall, we ventured outside to the hill beneath the basketball courts. The field was transformed into a race track, where "horses" (counselors, each assigned a number, 1-6) would "race" to the finish line based on the roll of the dice, moving ahead one space if their number was called. The main focus, though, are the introductions of each contestant, where each takes a few minutes to do a skit for the whole camp. Names like "Turtle Watch" (pictured winning his race below), "Zee Zee's Secret Amalgamation", and "The Scottish Landsnake" provide just a glimpse into the creative and hilarious talents of our multi-talented staff. They had the campers laughing all night, and once again provided a highlight of the summer. Yesterday was even more full of special events. In the morning, we played "Junior Granddaddy Gorilla", similar to the giant hide-and-seek game we played in the first half, except this time the campers hid, trying to evade the counselors on their search for the full 30 minutes. While most were eventually found, three campers were able to successfully evade the seekers, and will certainly enjoy their hard-won candy bar reward! In the afternoon, we played some very exciting games of Capture the Flag. The Green team has been ahead for most of the year, but the Gray team came roaring back to win two games. The season rivalry is neck and neck heading into the final week of camp, and everyone is looking ahead to Water Sports, our final Green vs. Gray competition which will settle the 2021 score for all. We came together as one camp in the evening for the Timanous Dance. There was a bit more room since we didn't have our sister camp Wohelo with us as we typically would, but apparently that didn't stop the energy for this annual tradition. Campers and counselors donned the craziest outfits they could come up with, and had a blast hanging out together on a beautiful Maine evening as the sun went down behind the pines. (For those less dance-inclined, we also had some fun games going on the field and by the Barn!) Even with all of these special events, there is more in store. Over the next few days, we will host the TimanOlympics, with some events similar to those being held in Tokyo, and many more that they are certainly not holding, like the slippery watermelon race! Everyone is also incredibly excited for Beach Day tomorrow, where we will go to Scarborough Beach State Park for our annual pilgrimage to swim in the ocean. Stay tuned for photos and stories from these and other closing events of camp.
It's hard to believe the 2nd session is already half over... which means we're about to hit the closing stretch of the 2021 summer. It's about this time that many of our special events, which campers are always particularly excited about, start to get added into the routine, and it feels like camp starts to race toward the finish line. So, it's important to look back at the days during the summer when everything is simply in a rhythm, and time seems to stand still (if it's considered at all). Each morning and afternoon, campers get to sign up for the activities they want to pursue, whether it is to go for an award, to try something new, or just to do something fun with a friend. As the new campers in our 2nd session have learned, we have a variety of activities that have their own system of awards that offer attainable goals for a camper of any age. Archery, for example, begins with the "Little John" award, which is available to the youngest two cabins, the Mallards and the Eagles. As campers get more skilled, they can progress through the more demanding awards. But in each case, campers are empowered to take the initiative to begin going for an award, challenge themselves at whatever level they are at, and ultimately get rewarded for dedication and a willingness to learn. We also have plenty of opportunities for pursuing other interest, like working on a handicrafts project, playing chess with a new friend, or taking out a canoe for an afternoon of fishing. In addition to our typical, regularly scheduled activities, we had a couple of fun events this week. There was a 5 on 5 basketball tournament pitching the Green Team against the Gray Team. Since we are not competing against other camps this summer, we've had a bunch of intra-camp Green/Gray games, which may bring out just as much healthy competitive spirit, if not more! Every boy is assigned to one of the two teams, and they are on that team for their entire Timanous careers. It's been fun to have more opportunities to play for our teams, in addition to the traditional games of Capture the Flag. Another hit was volleyball, held down at Beginners Beach, as well as "Boogie Castleball", which to the best of our knowledge is essentially dodgeball where you have to dance every time you aren't otherwise throwing or dodging! The natural camp rhythms extend to life beyond our shores. The photos above are from our Katahdin and Rangeley Lake trips from last week. We are eagerly awaiting pictures and stories from our trips that just got back over the past couple of days. Our 2nd session upper bunkline campers journeyed to Mt Blue State Park, and a group of our oldest campers returned just a few hours ago from the 5 Day canoe trip to Aziscohos Lake. The early reports from the 5 Day are that the weather was unbeatable, filled with bluebird skies and clear waters. A highlight was a surprise, sunrise paddle, breaking camp before dawn in order to enjoy breakfast on a secluded island, before pressing on to the next campsite. As a counselor shared after returning, the community and culture of the 5 Day group was simply unparalleled, which exemplifies how tight a bond can form when you're out in the wilderness with a group of Timanous campers.
Our 2nd half lower bunkline campers got to go out on a trip of their own, on an overnight canoe trip to Hawthorne Point. While they were confronted with rain on their first night, they awoke to a bright dawn and a taste of what a Timanous camping trip is all about: being out in nature and having a joyful experience with each other, no matter what the weather or other circumstances bring. When they move up the bunkline and make it to Crows, these boys may even get to go on to a future 5 Day camping trip of their own. This is perhaps the most important rhythm, one that spans years and keeps campers coming back, summer after summer. 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. We may just have had the nicest day of the summer! The first bell at 7:15 rang in a clear, crisp morning, with dew on the grass and the sunlight just sneaking over the tall pines on the field for flag raising. It warmed up throughout the day, but never got too hot, with a soft breeze blowing and sun shining throughout. For anyone in Maine today, it was a good day just for that, but campers at Timanous got to have a full day of fun activities on top of the nice weather! It's been a great first week of the second half. This past Monday, 59 new campers arrived at Timanous for their summer session. The full-season campers did a fantastic job welcoming them into the fold. After everyone got settled into their areas, we gathered for the first time as a whole camp for dinner, and then a really fun evening up on the field for introductions and cabin bonding. Even though it's only been a few days, it seems as if we've been together for the whole summer. The second half campers went through their orientation program, where they got to try a bunch of different activities while learning the rules of the road and all about award systems and projects they could make. As we're a rustic, outdoor camp, we always have to stay flexible with the weather, like when a big thunderstorm rolled through a couple of days ago and put a pause on activity periods. Fortunately, it was a brief storm and afterward the sun broke through the mist and water dripping off the leaves, and we got right back to our normal schedule. Much like the first half, we have a series of awesome camping trips that go out all over the state of Maine. This week, we have a group canoeing and hiking in Rangeley Lake State Park, and another group who just today climbed Mount Katahdin, Maine's tallest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. We're excited to welcome these hardy trippers back tomorrow. As epic as the scenery is where they are now, there's just something special about the late afternoon sun sparkling on Panther Pond as you walk down the bunkline at Camp Timanous.
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