The Widji Way

This past summer was the first summer my older guy met the age requirements to head off to Camp Widjiwagan.  He's been watching a family friend go for years.  Add to that stories from Wally, Amy, and myself of our adventures from summers long ago, and the kid was curious.  But he was also skinny as a rail, uninterested in having anything wet in contact with his body ever, and pale.  I admit I wandered if we were sending him too early.  He had definitely been on and enjoyed short canoe trips down the Namakagon over the years.  And canoe trip earlier the summer with Camp St. Croix was a success despite awe-inspiring heat, bugs, and storms.  But that was only 3 days down a river.  Widji's shortest trip is 7 days out in the BWCA.  With a wet-boot policy firmly enforced.

But he showed interest so we signed him up.  And sent him.  I spent the week mostly calm, really mostly worried that a bad experience this early would taint it and he'd not want to return.  He had tried to carry a canoe before, but really, he weighed less than their lightest canoes!  And he had nothing on the traditional Woody that was sent with each group.  Ok, I was also a little worried about the temperatures- his earlier St. Croix trip had been scorching, while BWCA forecasts had temperatures dipping into the 20s (in August!).

At the end of his session, we were invited up for a banquet.  The invite included careful instructions about where and when parents were welcome, and where we were not.  We got to hug him before dinner, and he gave us a quick thumb's up and a lovely smile before heading off to eat with his cabin group. After dinner this group showed the parents their cabin, their route on the big bwca maps, and, most importantly, their woody canoe.  They spilled out tales of adventure, hijinks, and a sprinkling of woe as we ambled around camp together.  At the banquet, parents sat at the back as each group got up to share a few words about their trip.  Every single kid found something great to say- about what they did, what they learned, how they grew.  It produced tears in this mom.  After the banquet they were gone, off to the final sauna and then to bed. 

Our 5 hour ride home was not consumed by screen time, but rather Eli regailed us with tales of his trip.  Stories that ranged from wicked headwinds to farting jokes to camp cooking.  He talked of how he hated wearing the wet boots all day, but the joy he felt every evening in stripping them off after one last swim and putting on dry, warm socks.  And best of all, he asked us to sign him up again next summer.

I'm really surprised at how much my guy could grow in the space of 10 days.  He came back from this Widji adventure standing taller, more confident, and yet, still as dang lovable as ever.  I'm a believer.