“Hey, do you want to join us?”
I’m writing from Camp Burgess, our annual outdoor orientation trip for 9th and 10th graders. Days are filled with kayaking and swimming in the lake, high-ropes courses, zip lines, farm tours, group puzzle challenges, and rock-wall climbs. The evenings have featured night hikes, board games, a talent show by the campfire, and a sing-a-long. All throughout, there has been plenty of down time for kids to be together and make friends – what this trip is all about.
Yesterday, between activities, I walked past a few new 9th graders sitting together playing cards. One of them noticed a classmate standing on their own in the periphery. In a casual, comfortable way, one of the kids at the table turned to that classmate and said, “Hey, do you want to join us?” “Sure,” the other said, sat down, and integrated right in.
It was simple, subtle, and beautiful – exactly what we expect in a community that prides itself on kindness. Kindness requires more than good intentions and more than manners. A culture of kindness is created and perpetuated by individuals who make the effort to help others feel like they belong. It is a rare thing to be in a community where kindness is the norm. From what I have seen these past few days, it is going to be a very good year.