Magnifying our Gratitude

At camp, our days are so full that one day feels like a week, and a week feels like a month. Everything is magnified. Even the little things seem big, and maybe they are reconnecting with a long-time bunkmate and growing that circle of friends to include somebody new, an assist on the soccer field from an awesome counselor, or an unexpected accomplishment at arts and crafts. On the other hand, when something goes wrong, even if it really is not a big deal, it can feel that way in the moment. The song leader didn’t play your favorite song on Shabbat, and you complain that “she ruined Shabbat!” A close friend spent rest hour talking with somebody else, and you feel ignored. One night in the infirmary seems like an eternity.

On those best moments at camp, we do experience gratitude. We know that we’re happy to be here, and we can list one hundred reasons why. At those times of disappointments, we may dwell on the negative. We may even briefly conclude that “camp stinks.” Heck, we may even write that in a letter home, worrying parents and prompting a call to camp, which is met with Leah’s reminder that one unhappy moment while writing home during rest hour does not mean that the camper is actually miserable.
In this week’s Torah portion, one of my favorites, the Children of Israel are at camp—well, they are “camped” in the desert, at least. Unfortunately, it’s not Jacobs. They’re in the middle of nowhere, and the people can’t wait to get to the Promised Land. Good news: They are almost there! They send spies to check out the Land of Israel and bring back a report.

Everything is huge. The fruits and vegetables. The city walls. The people. They’re like giants. The Israelites feel like grasshoppers by comparison. Torah doesn’t tell us that the city walls didn’t reach the clouds or that the people weren’t ten feet tall. It does tell us that ten of the spies convinced almost all the Children of Israel to refuse to enter the Promised Land. Never mind that they had witnessed ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea! Two of the spies, though, didn’t go along with peer pressure. Caleb and Joshua are mindful of blessings God’s track record. They trust that, whatever the obstacles, they can be overcome as others have been previously.

Jacobs Camp has a phenomenal track record: excellent staff, outstanding leadership, and programming that is fun, engaging, meaningful, and full of opportunities to make new friends, learn, and grow. Yes, there will be bad moments. And at the moment, they’ll seem huge. And, as in the past, they can and will be overcome.