For many summers we sent our kids off to camp.  They were happy to go and we were happy to see them off.  We sent them to scout camps, a couple of great church camps and an endless string of band camps.  Lately, we have been wondering whether or not it will ever be our turn to spend a couple of weeks away at camp.  We want to have someone cook our meals, lead us on hikes and build campfires for us at night.  We ask for only a few small concessions in deference to our age and status.  We need good mattresses for our aching backs, air conditioning and excellent plumbing, please, in our cabin.  Other than that, we’re ready to rough it.

Come to think of it, since dreams are free, let’s shoot the works on this one.  We want broad, quiet trails through the woods with benches for contemplation (or catching our breath) along the way.  Among the trees there should be a small stone chapel for reflection with fresh cut roses for the altar.  Let’s add gardens with bird feeders and sheltered swings for taking in the beauty of God’s creation.

Back at the main camp, we’ll have a personal trainer and chef to get us started on an overdue fitness program.  We will need a well-stocked library with a shady front porch and rocking chairs.  A couple of hammocks would be nice.  In the craft barn, experts will show us how to make fishing lures or bake bread without a machine.  Interesting speakers will give us ideas about what to do in our second childhood or sixty-five ways to entertain a grandchild on a rainy afternoon.  Discussions groups on everything from family reunions to home-based retirement businesses will be available.  Entertainment at night must feature comedians with vocabularies that won’t scorch our ears.  (Notice how much of our fantasy takes place sitting down).

At lunch a while back, a friend confided she sometimes thinks about going off alone to a far away place.  We have often felt the same way.  The longing to be in a peaceful place where there is water for the soul and renewal for the body is universal.  In the Twenty-third Psalm, David longed to lie down in green pastures and walk beside still waters.  Like most of us, by the time David reached the second half of his life, he carried a lot of baggage.  Perhaps he, too, felt more than a little weary.

With God’s help, most of us become rather proficient at coping with life on a day-to-day basis.  Still, sometimes we would like to be waiting on a corner with a duffel bag full of old clothes to catch a bus and ride off for a couple of weeks at summer camp.