Once more our son is off to be a camp counselor at Crystal Lake Camps.  This is a healthy, nurturing place. I’m glad our son will be there because he both has a lot to contribute to it as well as a lot to gain from it. He will teach both archery and science.

Andrew only got home from college a few weeks ago, having had a marvelous freshman year at Swarthmore where he did exceptionally well. But even though everyone was home together for the first time in a while, we only got in a small handful of meals with him, mostly because he was preoccupied and we were not considered a priority.

Now our son is off again and we’ll see him for a bit in August before college starts up in the fall. He packed for camp in the middle of the night just before he left– so I have no idea if he has everything necessary. It is unlikely he will call or write while he is gone and his goodbyes to his parents could have been less self absorbed and more gracious…

It is frustrating after all we’ve put into him over the years for him not to value family more. He treats everyone else well, so I know he is capable of it, and I am striving to be patient. He’s a fabulous kid, and we are trying not to recriminate ourselves over all the things we should have done differently, but I find myself praying for him to gain some sorely needed maturity.  Maybe he’ll find some gratitude at camp this summer?

This open nesting stage is both easy and hard!