The summer camp philosophy

I use to love summer camps. First as a kid, enjoying a few days away from my “normal” life, and later as a youngster with my scout group.

Summer camps are fun, exciting, full of new experiences. Summer camps are full of memories that you will remember for years to come.

The first days are exciting. Getting to know everyone, learning your ways around the place, familiarising with the new surroundings. After these first days you start feeling like home, like you had been there forever . All these people are now your best friends.

You enjoy each moment to the fullest. You laugh,  you cry, you shout and you do crazy things. In a nutshell: you’re having the best time of your life.

And then the last day arrives. You knew this would happen. You knew you’d have to leave at some point and go back home to your “normal” life. You just didn’t wanted to be so early.

Then you say goodbye to your friends, you promise you’ll keep in touch. You exchange phone numbers, addresses and you keep them as the most treasured thing in the world.

And the days go by. At the beginning you remember every moment. You smile for no reason thinking about those crazy things you did, that stupid joke someone said. Those were good times. But as days pass memories start to fade and you are left with an uncomfortable feeling:you realise you’ll probably never see those people again, those days will never come back. It sounds sad. But that’s life, things happen, things change and you move on. You live and learn.

And why not live by this philosophy? The summer camp philosophy? Why not enjoy and treasure every moment even if we know that eventually the moment will pass? That person you just met might leave at some point, that job you got might end, those holidays you were expecting for so long will finish. I see so many people around me afraid of losing the moment, their jobs, their partners. Not enjoying what’s good when they are living it because they are afraid it will end. Maybe that’s what’s supposed to be. Maybe some things are just meant to happen once. But I like to think that those are the things that will add up. With every new experience a small part of your heart warms up, in the end creating this warm feeling that makes you feel good, this feeling that somehow gives sense to everything.

At the end of the day all we are left with are our experiences, these so valuable and intangible things that we don’t give enough credit and that shape who we are, what we do, who we become. No one can take that away from us. Invest in experiences, this is the best investment of all.