I attended this past weekend a camp for cancer survivors
sponsored by St. Thomas called Camp Bluebird in Nashville, Tennessee. It was so invigorating to be there and life
changing. This is quite ironic given I
had been hesitant to attend. What I
walked away with on Sunday was a willingness to proudly call myself a
bluebird. I gained a deep understanding of what this
term actually means and how it will forever impact my life.
The camp has bluebirds as its chosen mascot. In songs, quite often this type of bird has implies
happiness. How appropriate given cancer
survivors believe that we should live every day as if it could be the last,
thus embrace it with joy. The Camp is
dominated with an overwhelming sense of happiness from beginning to end. Hugs are given freely and plentiful.
This breed, bluebirds, is also well known for singing. Lifting voices in song is something that is
done quite often at Camp. It matters not whether any one present has a great
singing voice. All that matters is the spirit that is behind the song. Singing comes from the soul and that is
really what matters at Camp, letting the soul shine, just letting the walls
come down and everyone see who you really are.
Amazing too that people embrace you for who you are and where you are at
with your life. Total acceptance is something unheard of in most places these
days.
Last but certainly not least, bluebirds flap their
wings. This so closely resembles
stemming behavior of an autistic child like my grandsons. It is a way for my grandsons to keep
themselves in a safe zone. At our camp,
it is our Vegas, what is expressed there remains there. It is our safety net.
We are joined at the hip there and are in our own little world. For the long weekend we attend Camp Bluebird
it is as if time is suspended. There are
no phones, no television, just togetherness and sharing and caring.
Cancer survivors need to have time with other survivors so
that they know the fear they live with, the appreciation for life and the
self-discovery path is the norm. It
actually is re-energizing. The volunteers that attend the camp want to be a part
of the healing process too. The can also
not only learn but gain insight into cancer recovery, cancer treatment, and how
precious life can be. The volunteers are
as vital to the camp experience as the cancer survivors are, each individual
brings something that makes the camp experience unique and special. The mutual learning, sharing and giving of each
other makes the bonding between not only the survivors but the volunteers also
quite strong and lasting.
What made Camp Bluebird unlike anything I have ever
experience before was the total acceptance and love felt from everyone. Being with a large diverse group of people I
had hardly met before and everyone being open to me and each other. There was no envy, no gossip, put downs,
lack of respect not arguments. Everyone
present was real from the minute they got there to the minute they left. There
was no pretense about trying to impress anyone, talk of where they worked, who
they knew, etc… It was simply about
living in the moment, what they felt, sharing the present and loving it. It was also about extending their love and
care to others. Human compassion for others was something to behold; it could
be felt in the air. The listening skills
at Camp are to be envied by all.
This Camp is full of laughter, full of pranks, full of
mischief and one-liners! Laughter is
heard through-out the camp. It is an extended family where hugs are given
freely, often and by all. It is a place
where newcomers are embraced and told they are welcome and have a new support
system they can call on. A young
volunteer woman said it best, “People meet each other right where they are
at.” Total unconditional acceptance is
not something most of us experience and certainly not in a large group
setting. But at Camp Bluebird, it is
reality.
Cancer kills but this Camp shows it does not kill one’s
spirit. This camp is full of fighters.
Those that have fought and won celebrate but still remain grateful and have
compassion for those present fighting a battle that is against all odds. Honor is given the last day to those that have
attended camp in the past and gone to heaven.
They are celebrated and balloons are released in remembrance. This demonstrates that the spiritual bonds
remain and these folks will not be forgotten.
They are still a part of Camp Bluebird.
A great deal of work goes on by very few to put this Camp on
every 6 months year after year. You
could safely say it is a labor of love continually done over and over
again. I am amazed at the amount of work
that goes into the planning process and the sheer volume of coordination even
once the camp opens. But yet, the
organizers do it, and the volunteers freely give up their time. Surely they know that their graciousness is a
kindness that goes beyond a simple thank you.
What I think Camp Bluebird means to me is what my friends
told me it means when they tried to get me to go. It is a chance to be loved and give love to
strangers that, at the end of the weekend are not strangers but an extended
family of bluebirds! And bluebirds, this
class of bluebirds, are truly a special breed that I am blessed to have in my
life and I indeed to treasure for always!
Here is a video I threw together of some of the many pictures others took of the weekend. There were far too many to begin to show all and everyone in attendance so this is just a sampling. But I think it is more than enough to show the love and rewards of this special place! Click Here to view it on YouTube.
