Category: Uncategorized

Little Moments, Big Life

March 27th, 2026

We all want the Super Bowl, to be an influencer or the best gamer. We set our sights very high –multi-millionaire, straight-A-student, someone who is going to change the world.

It’s natural for us humans to strive, to reach for things higher than our current situation in life. I did when I was your age. Still do… just for (very) different things.

(I don’t believe many middle and high schoolers are praying for a safe summer and for their children to become good men. If you are… well, we should talk.)

Having goals are good. Something to aim at is important. We all should strive to become better versions of ourselves each and every day.

Here are two questions: at what are you striving? And, what are you missing in the process?

The Little Moments…

This morning, I put a new razor blade on my razor. (Again… you’ll get there.) The difference was enormous – no discomfort. Just smooth sailing and a much better shaving experience.

For some reason, I stopped and thought ‘Man – that was great’ and smiled.

Then I thought… why don’t I think that more often about a lot of things? And, for the next hour or two, I did.

A long part of the road from our house to the airport was super smooth. The fact that I could listen to a podcast out of my phone struck me as close to magic. The gentleman driving our parking shuttle at the airport was kind and thoughtful, especially towards Kate. A baby being held in front of me in the TSA line gave me the biggest smile you’ve ever seen….

Now… how many times have I missed these little moments? How many times have I been so busy with other things on my mind or rushing to the next ‘goal completion’ or just not present enough to recognize and enjoy them.

Millions of times. And we all do it. Head phones in. Head in the calendar. Eyes on the screen…. Hm.

But it’s the recognition of these little things that lead to a…

Big Life

My grandmothers grew up with pretty much nothing in a material sense. While they lived within a few hours of the ocean, they didn’t see it until late in life. They raised their own food, sewed their clothing. The Great Depression was on… and they didn’t even realize it.

When I asked Munner what she thought was the greatest invention in her lifetime – refrigeration, vaccines, rockets, tv, etc. – she answered immediately: air-conditioning. Growing up without in the Deep South sets a different perspective.

But yet they had big lives.

Big families. Sunday dinners at which both friends and families sat together. Card games that would go on for hours, punctuated with laughter, jeers and more. They had deep faiths, strong bonds with their neighbors, and were concerned about their community.

They didn’t ‘finish’ rich in terms of money or accolades. But, they were deeply loved and gave that love unselfishly and unreservedly to those around them.

Near the end of their time with us, I got to hold Ginny’s hand during a hard moment at Two Lights. Munner invited me for a glass of sweet tea and a pimento cheese sandwich on a Tuesday.

I’m happy to have those memories. They are more than worth the two hours in the car, missing a round of golf, playing a video game or whatever else I was doing as a young man.

A Mother’s Advice

I was reminded recently of a quote I love:

“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” – Mother Teresa of Calcutta

With all the marvels of today, it’s easy for us to strive for bigger and ‘better’ things. However, it’s actually more important to do and appreciate the little things.

Loving on your (sometimes annoying) little or big sibling. Cleaning up the table for your parents who’ve dealt with today more than you can realize right now. Rubbing your partner’s feet. Caring for the pet. Calling your grand parent out of the blue, just to say ‘hello.’

These things… these little moments are those that will change the world.

How? The same way the oceans were formed…. One drop at a time.

Have a good weekend. Can’t wait to see you at camp.

PS – How does this relate to camp? Well… just about every moment at camp is a little one. And, without the distraction of school, after school activities, your phone, your games, etc… you just get to be where you are.

At camp, we can truly be present. And enjoy that for what it is: A gift!

Seeing Clearly: Helping Kids Focus on the Good

March 7th, 2026

We humans are a curious lot. We are capable of working together to create incredible objects of beauty. Petra has withstood the test of time. Neuschwanstein Castle looks like something out of a fairy tale. The Golden Gate Bridge is breathtaking.

Even as ‘individuals’, though we very rarely do anything truly on our own, we can add great beauty into the world. Think of Mother Teresa, Aristotle, Van Gogh and Hokusai.

We are also capable of a lot of darkness. Pick up any history book and it’ll be happy to tell you about all the bad in the past.

But here is the thing: the history books rarely tell the story of the good nearly as much as they do the story of the bad.

Seeing Clearly

The other day, I read a quote I can’t get out of my head:

If you only see the bad, you aren’t seeing clearly.

Just like the history books, we humans want to focus on ‘the bad.’ The test you didn’t do well on. That joke that didn’t land. Those posts that didn’t get enough likes. Wrong notes on the scale, poor shots hit in front of a crowd….

This feeling is not a bug of our human system. It’s actually a feature and, throughout history, it’s been a darn good one. (How long do you think we’d have lasted if we kept trying to feed saber-tooth tigers berries from our hands?)

Remembering the bad can be very useful. I remember the time a snake leapt at me from a rock I flipped over one summer in Georgia as a kid. I’ve been very thoughtful turning over rocks since.

Seeing the Good Plus…

If we aren’t careful, though, we’ll let the bad dominate our vision and thinking. And, what we think consistently becomes the story of our lives.

Think ‘I can’t hit that note’ often enough or ‘I’ll never figure it out’ a bunch and… you probably won’t. Or, at the very least, you’ve made it a lot harder to do so.

We have to intentionally flood our thoughts with the good things. I’ve heard some researchers say the ‘recognize the good to recognizing the bad’ should be a 3 to 1 ratio.

Meaning? You need to think of the canteen you got that day + all the laughing you did at the waterfront + the crazy fun evening activity you just enjoyed to overcome the missing home feeling when you wrote your letter home.

It also helps to think of the emotion or feeling when you remember the good. In fact, you should really feel it. Your subconscious doesn’t know the difference between ‘real’ and ‘imagined’ emotions. So, if you are intentional, you can insert really good emotions within your imagination surrounding a successful attempt.

Real Life

I recently played in a golf tournament against a bunch of (old) pros. The 18^th hole had water on both sides of the fairway and there was more trouble by the green. In the first round, I made an 8, a quadruple bogey. Not good. Really.

Now, I played the other 17 holes really well. If I went home and thought only about the worst hole I’ve played in competition since high school, I would have missed all the good things I’d done earlier that round.

I chose to do two things that evening. First, I spent time thinking through all the good things that happened that day. Secondly, I imagined playing the 18^th perfectly. I even added in the emotion I’d feel for hitting the fairway, then hitting the green in regulation and then making the putt. I imagined (and felt it) 10 times the way I wanted.

All this took effort, intention. And, it made feel great about the day. How’d I play the 18^th in the 2^nd round? I barely missed the putt for a 3 and finished with a 4 – a 50% improvement!

Make the Effort

Friends, make the effort to see good. It’s easy to see and even fixate on the ‘bad.’ (Though, the ‘bad’ is just there to teach us what to do differently.) And, if you are having a hard time seeing the good, reach out to a loved one and be honest. I bet they can help. You can always call me, too!

It’s a little more than 100 days to start of camp. Can’t wait to get there and focus on the good while learning from the ‘constructive’ with all of you!

How Camp Says “I Love You”

February 13th, 2026

Valentines Day is tomorrow and the expression of love is in the air. It must be on my mind because I’ve heard three different versions of love’s definition or way to say it that I really like… and that also make me think of our campers and staff.

Ti Voglio Bene

The Italian version is fabulous. This is a common Italian phrase meaning “I love you” or “I care about you,” but it is used for friends, family, and close, non-romantic relationships. It literally translates to “I want good for you” or “I wish you well”.

This is totally a ‘camp thing.’ And, it also fits beautifully into the next one:

To Will the Good for the Other

As you may or may not know, I take wisdom from wherever I can get it. I’ve studied every major world religion (and a few minor ones) and listen to people across the religious and political spectrum. In many of his homilies, Bishop Robert Barron says that ‘love’ is simply to will the good of the other.

I love this. Again – totally a ‘camp thing.’

Zoe

In his book, Inner Excellence, Jim Murphy speaks of the Greek word, zoe. This is the state of being totally possessed of vitality, the full expression of love, wisdom and courage. As he talks about often (and I whole heartedly agree), love is fearless.

This idea also comes from Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism:

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

How About You?

How will you tell someone that you love them tomorrow, the next day and the next? There are certainly more ways to say ‘I love you’ or ‘I want the good for you’ or ‘I will work for your life to be filled with love, wisdom and courage.’

You could do the dishes for your parents who’ve been working or organizing or planning all day. You could read a story to your younger sibling or your grandparent. You could call someone with whom you’ve not spoken with in a while to just check in and say ‘hello.’

(The worst/best kept secret in the world: we ALL want to feel connected but are afraid to go first. Well… Weequahic campers and staff practice courage! You can go first.)

Happy Valentine’s Day, Camp Weequahic. We love y’all!