For some context, check out Gone to Carolina in my Mind from November 2024.

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For all the years I spent as a camper and summer staffer and year-round staff member at camps, I’ve hardly written much about them, outside of my own personal journals or reflections. Anyone who loves camp knows: experiencing one week of camp is like living through an entire year. Capturing any of it feels nearly impossible.

Reflection Questions

* Have you ever gone back to a home that’s changed? What memories did you have to unpack? Was the change better, worse, or neutral?

* Is place meaningless aside from the people who make it meaningful? Or does magic actually happen in some places more than others?

Image: Sunrise over Lake Lewthorne and Lakeside Lodge, Lutheridge, November 2025.

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