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Topic: |
Thoughts aroused by the Reunion... |
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Posted by: |
Jeff Garrison at Mon Aug 11 07:44:06 2003 |
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Message: |
Dear Medomak Family,
...I have some ruminations...:-O
Medomak, as a camper or counselor in the past,
was usually a deeply personal/individual
experience. (It started for me in 1951.) A
Reunion of such alumni had several levels of life for me; some
accessible and some not so easily accessible.
Especially among young boys and men (perhaps girls and women, too), such experiences
were/are usually not fully expressed/realized, until, perhaps,
middle age, as most of us are. Renewing
friendships was heartwarming and rejeuvenating. I will share a
taste of what was there for me...
I connected with Jack Toomey and communicated
more during the Reunion than ever in the past. :-)We were not really linking as "grownup kids" but as
adults... where we were at that moment. I wanted more time. Wonderful!
Similarly, I enjoyed visiting with Jim Newton and
Bob Acheson. I feel more connected to them than
ever before.
When I was 17, I had thyroid cancer. I had no
idea that another, younger camper (whom I knew)
was deeply concerned about me...and remained so
until we visited during the Reunion! I was and am
so incredibly touched by and thankful for such a
Blessing of caring in my life.
From "Itchy" Acheson, I learned of the
tribulations and serious health difficulties of
Alex Benziger. I sent Alex my warm wishes and I
encourage his old friends to do the same.
[email: alexbenziger@hotmail.com;
phone:01161266222253; SNAIL MAIL ADDRESS:
6-3 Colleen Place, East Lismore, NSW 2470,
AUSTRALIA].
During the Reunion, I became clearer about the
power of the "Medomak Way." This began a stream
of creative thought about developing some form of
Retreat that could give this Medomak orientation/philosophy new
life. Holly and I and also, briefly, Ken Kiesler and I had some limited discussions about elements of this idea.
This segued into noticing that the Grace (rustic wall
plaque) was in disrepair. As I and Molly provided some repair, I realized more fully the quiet power of the ecumenical, spiritual tone it and Sunday Chapel expressed, in concert with the thoughtful messages presented in the mornings after breakfast: important guiding influenes for Medomak.
These were reinforced by the gentle but structured
learning/skill development in the very healthy
natural environment....
GRACE
"O Thou Maker of all good,
Thanks we give Thee for this food.
Let us share with those in need.
Help us banish selfish greed.
We are thankful, we are glad
For our mother, home and dad.
We are helpless but for Thee.
Guide us thru eternity.
Amen"
There have been many levels for experiencing the
Medomak Way. At each level of personal growth,
there was value and challenges for everyone. It
was not a utopia but it sure made a difference in
my life and it did, as well, in the life of my
father, Roger Garrison.
As one would expect, a growing boy has some
struggles and scarey times but Medomak (the setting, the people and the history) was, for me, a health place in which to move forward. As a
life experience, Medomak was in color with
the rest of the year seemingly in black & white.
Medomak is and will forever be in my soul. I
hope, in some way, I can contribute to expanding
and deepening what the Medomak Way could be in
this modern world, for those who would value it.
I would be interested in the toughts of others...
Cheers,
Jeff [1951-62, '64, '02, '03] |
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[ Reply to this ]
- Thoughts aroused by the Reunion... - Jeff Garrison, Mon Aug 11 07:44:06 2003
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Even though we were there during the rainiest week in camp history, our family had a blast! We had the opportunity to spend all of our time together doing things we always mean to do but never get around to doing, like canoeing, fishing and kayaking.
Maribeth Visco
2003
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