Staff Night

It was our Staff Night last night for camp. Usually we have it on the last night after we've closed down the camp but there were circumstances that prevented that this year. The camp is Jewish, and Friday night is Shabbat.....their time of prayer. Most of the people at camp are not strict with themselves as far as following the Jewish customs outside of camp so it's never been a real problem finishing off our year on the last day. This year however, one of the staff has really gotten into his Judaism and become much more conservative. This person is a central character at the camp - he's been there for 10 years or so and is the music director. He's the one who plays guitar at the campfire. On a Friday night now, he wouldn't be able to play the guitar - and he wouldn't be able to drive home or ride in a car with someone else either. The understanding I have is that on Shabbat you have to give yourself over to God and not let anything of the "world" interfere with your prayers. So - no one wanted to leave him out. It would have been the height of irony to exclude him because of his devotion to his religion when we're a Jewish camp! So the decision was made to move our Staff Night to last night. I have to say it wasn't the same. There wasn't the melancholy feeling of seeing each other for the last time before the long winter. On top of it not being our last night together, it was rainy (of course!) so we didn't actually have a campfire - we all sat inside the rec hall in a circle to sing our songs. About a quarter of the staff couldn't make it because they hadn't put aside that night and they had other plans. We did have a nice meal together.....and the younger staff had a fierce game of handball on the beach before dinner. A couple of us "older" staff slipped out quietly for an adult beverage before dinner. Today - for the first time in what seems like months - the sun is out! AND they weather people say it's going to stay out ALL DAY! Amazing! I'm going on a field trip with some of the kids to the Witch Museum in Salem, MA. I plan to spend some of the day at least out in the sun while it's still around.....cause I'm sure it'll be raining tomorrow!