I've written about Camp Mystic before, and I am glad so many people read it and enjoyed it. I loved hearing back from so many who experienced Mystic in both the same and in different ways than I. Well, a couple of weekends ago, I had the very special opportunity to reunite with a group of girls who are collectively one of my very favorite Mystic memories. In 1996, I had the pleasure of being a counselor in a cabin called Rough House for 18 young ladies about to enter their junior year in high school. It was a fantastic June full of highs and lows, wins and losses, silly inside jokes, crazy competition, and everything else that camp is about. That was my last summer at camp and I haven't seen most of those girls since. I've been in touch with a few from time to time, and thanks to Facebook, I've reconnected with most of them (and a ton of other Mystic girls) online. A few of them got organized and made a reunion happen, and there are no words to describe the kind of amazing it was!
Most of us rolled into Hunt, Texas on Friday night to stay at the gorgeous River House that one of the girls' parents owned (THANKS Mr. and Mrs. P! We hope you let us do it again someday). Armed with charm bracelets, war canoe t-shirts and Mystic memorabilia galore, we gathered so the reminiscing could begin!!
I've learned that no matter how old you are, when you get 15 girls together for a slumber party, there is going to be very little sleep. But, it was so worth the late nights to catch up with these awesome ladies. In anticipation of our trip, Judith Ann made a call and arranged for us to get to go out to the camp while we were in town. We took FULL advantage of this opportunity--really reliving some of our old experiences.
I swear, this place is ageless.
It looks exactly the way it did when I was a little girl. LOVE IT!
It was strange being out there without 300 girls running around, but I am still overcome by a sense of peace and contentment just being there. I'm pretty sure that will also never change.
We checked out the inside of the cabins and climbed tribe hills (sorry, can't show you the pictures of the actual tribe hills--they are sacred, but we were there).
We raided the commissary (ok, Tweety left us the keys, but it totally felt like a raid, and you should have seen the way we were acting with all the goodies!) No pictures for proof, but some of us have new clothes to show for it.
The war canoes were housed in Rec Hall pending new coats of paint, but we were committed to reliving the glory days in full, so we found a way to get one down to the waterfront (note that we found an unpainted one so as not to be picking sides). How many Mystic girls does it take.....
So, we had a little war canoe action, which was totally worth scratching up the top of Judith Ann's vehicle. It was a little challenging without the kneepads or appropriate number of people in the boat (or the once upon a time 15-year-old bodies) but these girls rocked it!
" I dedicate my part of this boat to..."
Of course, there was a sing along (with a little beer and wine)...
"...Camp Mystic, I [eye] will pledge my true and faithful love to you!"
You know you are singing along in your head.
And, it's not a trip to Mystic if a few people don't end up in the river.
Or on Sky High!
Sadly, the weekend was over too fast and we parted ways again on Sunday to return to normal life. We all left our contact information and vowed to have "4th term" again soon.
My heart is bursting with the pride I have for these fine ladies. This weekend, I got to see what they have become in the last 16 years and I could not be more impressed. I may not have been able to share every joy or heartache they have experienced over these years, but I can see the way they have been shaped both by those experiences and their times at Mystic. They are wives, mothers, professionals, students, and everything in between. They are all so different and live so far apart, yet share this one common experience that brought them all together again for a weekend of nonstop love and laughter. Even after all these years, it was so easy to pick back up and really enjoy each others' company. In fact, it was almost easier because all that teen hormone and emotion was out the window. There were even healing moments, and apologies for having wronged one another at some point along the way. I could not have enjoyed myself more (well, maybe if a few of those missing could have come--next time!). I love you girls and want you to know what a special part of my life and my heart you have. The times we had together so many years ago and again last weekend are some of my most cherished memories.
Thank you for being a part of me.
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