A Morning In The Life Of A Youth Camper

Stunningly beautiful

That's the only way you could describe it. The sunshine bouncing off of Indian Lake, through the trees and into the cabin. It creates a warm, nostalgic feeling in you as you look out the window. The sun is just coming up, filling the world with color and light.

It's early, too early yet to wake up. Reveille wouldn't be played for a good hour or two, so you put your thick-rimmed glasses on and just watch the sun come up. A squirrel sits at the base of a tree, nibbling on an acorn, and you wonder what's for breakfast. Taking off your glasses you close your eyes, and imagine pancakes and French toast and a cup of warm cocoa. Your head hits your pillow and once again you fall asleep, the July sunrise bathing you in light.

You awake to the sound of reveille being played on a bugle far off. The sun blinds you. It deceives you into thinking that the world outside of your sleeping bag will be warm. You unzip your cocoon of body heat and a wave of freezing cold air envelopes your body. Quickly zipping your sleeping back bag up you reach over to your cubby space. A pair of blue fuzzy socks sit on a package of half-eaten Oreos along with your glasses. You grab the glasses and the socks. Slipping on the glasses, you gasp as the cold metal hits your face. You rub the skin under your glasses before putting on your socks and once again unzipping your sleeping bag.

Jumping off the top bunk, you land softly on the old hardwood flooring. The cold sleeps through your socks and you quickly step onto your bunkmates' rug. Everyone, except for your counselor, is up and getting ready, trying to warm themselves up and complaining about the early wake up. You swiftly dress in a pair of jeans and a crew neck. You grab your water bottle, clip it to your belt loop and set off for the mess hall.

Some girls follow after you, and you make small talk about the weather and today's schedule. Half-asleep, your group makes their way to the mess hall line and meet up with friends from other cabins. The smell of french toast and hot chocolate waft through the windows, enticing you. You hear plates and silverware clinking against each other and shouts from the kitchen.

The sun begins to warm up the earth around you and everyone becomes slightly more cheerful. A man walks out of the mess hall and starts chatting with some campers in the front of the line. Their happy smiles soon spread through the whole line. Another man, shorter than the one before, emerges from the hall with a bugle. Everyone begins to break from their groups and forms a single-file line. You listen as the bugle player warms up, silently critiquing him, as you're a trumpet player yourself. You chuckle to yourself as you realize how petty you are. The bugle player plays the military call to meal and everyone claps along, giving a slightly unenthusiastic "Charge!" At the end. Campers file into the mess hall and the excitement in you grows as you move up in the line. The first man stays outside to check people's hands, to make sure they are clean, while the bugle player goes inside. You move forward in the line, closer to the hall and you hear the bustling inside. Holding your hands out as you pass the man, he greets you with a good morning. You respond in a cheery voice,

"Good morning, Matt!"

You finally enter the mess hall and warmth surrounds you. A fire is burning in the hearth on one side of the hall, filling it with a homey feeling.

Taking a sharp left turn, you stand by your usual spot, at the end of the table nearest the piano. You stand, arms crossed at the wooden table and greet the head of the table, a counselor named Abby. She was a friend of yours from school and knew your sister well. She asks about your night before Matt hushes the crowd and asks everyone to cross their arms. The hall sings in prayer,

"God has created a new day,

Silver and green and gold.

Live that the sunset may find us,