Imagine a world with no TVs, no cell phones and no internet access, where…
– “Mail” is simply on a piece of paper, hand written, with a pen.
– The only “gaming’ is on a field or a court.
– “Chatting” is done verbally: in a cabin, on a walk, over a meal or around a campfire, the purest form of “FaceTime.”
– You can only “like” something or someone by giving a real compliment, a smile or a hug.
– A ‘wink’ is done with eye contact and a grin, and ‘laughing so hard you cry’ is not an emoji but rather the funniest late-night bunk conversation that will live on for decades.
– The biggest news of the day is whose birthday it is, what evening activity will be or what’s for dinner.
– You don’t need to have hundreds of “friends,” instead you strive for a quality handful of the best, truest friends you could ever imagine.
– A “snap” is simply a hand gesture.
– Silly costumes are homemade or brought up in trunks not created with apps or filters.
– The only “tweet” comes from birds and being one with nature.
– A “house party” is getting to hang out in your cabin with your favorite people, bunk mates.
– The latest songs and videos come out of a bunk skit, song or cheer rather than top 40 radio hits.
– And, the only photos you take during the day are ones that live in your mind, providing you with lifelong memories.
This world is Pine Forest Camp. It was this way for me as a camper at PFC, and it’s the same for my own children. Kids need camp, now more than ever. I am tremendously thankful that my children get to turn off, unplug and disconnect every summer. Where else in the world can that truly happen? And, although they may not always admit it, I know that my kids wouldn’t have it any other way.
