Family

Family. What does is mean to you? It means many different things to me. I have my family by blood. There is  nothing that means more to me than those people. They are the glue of my life. Held me up when I was low. Never treated me less than who I am. Always, and I mean always, supported me. My life is better because of them. They, though, are not who I am talking about here. This family is a different sort.

I have another family. One made up of the most extraordinary people I have ever met. My life changed the day my parents sent me to Camp Hantesa.  By sending me there, they gave me an opportunity to find myself, in my own way. Society, mostly school, could not guide who I was going to be there. I was an individual with a voice. And I definitely found my voice. One I continue to use today.

I met a different kind of family there. As the photo above shows, one with as many different characters as anyone would want in their life. Now, I am not close friends with everyone in the above photo, but that doe not mean that they do not have a special place in my heart. Every single person in that photo has touched my heart. Had an impact on my soul.

A little over a year ago, I was extremely honored to be the Best Man at a wedding of two of the greatest people I have ever met. One of my best friends of my life, along with a girl that has had as great an impact on who I am as anyone else in my life. Sara and Eric. Sponda and Garth. Two people made for each other, that I have been lucky to know. At this wedding, a family was gathered. We laughed. We cried. We drank. A lot.

This gathering of some of the most amazing people on earth, was simply perfect. I was able to take Veronica Mars there to meet everyone. It was perfect. Best Friends. Favorite Campers. Memories. Love. I spent a lifetime with these people. Every single hour of every day for weeks at a time each year. Some a lot younger than me. Some older. Campers that grew to be very close friends. Fellow staff that become brothers.

A few years ago, I left Camp Hantesa for what I thought was the very last time. I moved on. I moved to Western Michigan and created a new family at Camp Miniwanca. A place that means just as much to me. Hard to explain to those from Hantesa, but it really does mean as much to me. My life is better for having both of them in my life. Miniwanca is another story though. The important thing to remember is that Hantesa never left me. I am still a Vagabond. And that means something. Really means something. Even today, it is with me. I am apart of something extremely special.

I know that all of you are with me today. I know you are there for me and I hope you know I am there for you in anyway that I can be.  That is what family is for. I have a big family and I hope it only gets bigger. I love you all.