Remembering My Inner Child - Campfire

Summer sleep away camp experiences had a rich depth to them – allowing the space for me to trust and open to my self - to my core essence. Church camp was a luxury in our working class household and a treasured experience.

There were evening campfires as we sat on logs in a circle, each calculating our seat to avoid the smoke filling our eyes. I recall still, the pungent smell of the fire's smoke. Songs of “Let there be Peace on Earth” and “Kumbaya, My Lord” resonate in my memories today.

We were members of a special tribe, bonded by the week of play, hiking, chores that included refreshing the latrine chemicals, setting the table and more.

Perhaps the strongest memory was the culmination of the final ceremonial campfire in which we wrote on individual pieces of paper each of our pledges to live and be Christians for the good of all beings. I’ve no idea what others' pledges might have been. I was drawn to pledging my life to the service of others – a ten year old in love with Being.

The Remembering Your Inner Child Project encourages and facilitates experiential remembering of those parts of our inner child that may have been suppressed and forgotten in the course of life events. As we reintegrate the memory of past moments of wholeness and grace, we carry that old friend - our self - along with us on our journey to authentic being.

You are invited to share an experience of your inner child that with your permission will be place into our blog series. Email Kathleen.