Diabetes at Camp Bearskin Part VI: What about the siblings?

In my head I kept saying "wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...".

And then it started. A hand shot in the air and up stood a family, enveloped by the darkness.

"We'd really like to thank our counselors who worked with the kids. You are amazing, and we hope our kids turn out to be counselors like you one day".

Then another family: "We were always told to come here, and for whatever reason it just didn't happen. We now wish we had come a lot sooner".

Then another: "My child is about to cry if I don't say something. This has been the most amazing experience. We can't wait to come back next summer."

And then a staff member: "You have all taught me so much about being amazing parents. Thank you."

And so it continued for another 20 minutes or so. When we were through, the whole camp raised off of their seats, moved close to the campfire and gathered round in a circle in locked arms, right over left. As a camp, we started to sing our closing song, "No One is an Island" followed by "Taps". One person started and all joined in.

After the closing songs and as people began to scatter, some families lingered. I watched parents embracing their kids of whom many were crying, sad to see the week come to an end.

We ushered everyone through the darkness across camp to the dining hall where we served cereal for snack and showed a slideshow to music as our final act of closing. Families cried and staff cried. We all headed to bed, exhausted, drained, sad, and perhaps slightly anxious, waiting in anticipation for the impending goodbyes that were just a few hours away.