Camping

I learned camping in Scouts. I learned even though I was the fat kid, I could still enjoy the outdoors. Even hiking. Even winter camping.

I re-learned camping when my wife and I had kids and we decided having kids wasn't going to alter what we did for fun. I learned even little kids like to wander around in the outdoors, watch fires, throw rocks, listen to the coyotes howl and the owls hoot.

My kids learned camping thanks to family camping, but also to eight years (and counting) spending the summer at scout camp as my wife worked there. They learned camping can help them learn, and can help them become teachers.

I re-learned camping again when I was called as scoutmaster. I learned scouts like watching scoutmasters go swimming, hike, throw rocks, build fires, take the polar bear challenge, get scratched up and dirty, just like them.

I'm going to re-learn camping yet again as I take on the role of scoutmaster a second time. This time with a troop of girls who want to learn the same stuff they've seen their brothers learning for years.

I can't wait to learn it all over again.