Squam

photo credit: Christine Chitnis

REGISTRATION WEEK. Yes! My most favorite part of the year. Crazy right? You’d think it would be digging out twinkle lights or coming in to the dining hall to see the wildly creative projects every one has on display in our pop-up art gallery or one of the other thousand lovely traditons that have blossomed over the years.

But this is really it for me. What’s more, I hope I never lose the excitement of opening envelopes to see what classes people have chosen, shake my head in wonder at the distances they are going to travel to join us at the lake, find their notes (and chocolate! hello and thank you!), cards and letters.

These messages mean the world to me and keep me on track when the hurlyburly of the internet knocks me about. One that came in this morning from Serina — here’s what she wrote,

“Besides all of that, I want to let you know that my trip to Squam was life changing.

I had read so many stories and heard so many women saying that, I kind of expected it to be a big parting of the sky moment or something. But it wasn’t. It kind of just crept in slowly and it isn’t until now, making my decision to return or not that the change became so evident.

Squam rebuilt me, my infrastructure, so to speak.

I was so worn down and exhausted from recent experiences I did not have the strength to handle simple everyday situations anymore and did not even realize it. After coming back, I have gotten stronger every day. I am able to tap into the reserves that my time there gave me.

Because I took that time for myself when I did, I am now able to spend time with my family without feeling
that nagging voice of just wanting to be alone (isn’t that awful, that is how I felt!). I am energized by spending time with them now, which is how it SHOULD be. The few moments I get to myself are enough now and more importantly I know I need them and I make sure I get them because everybody benefits from a happy, whole mama in the house!

Squam put me back together and I can never thank you or anybody who had a hand in that enough.

Also, I think the lake had a lot to do with it too ; ) Well, this was a very long regrets note but I wanted
you to know that I am so thankful you answered the calling and created Squam. With gratitude and wishes for another amazing Squam year!” – SERINA FROST

I think next time someone asks me “what is Squam?” and I stand there thinking for the millionth time I need to have an elevator pitch or something pithy or some kind of answer other than what I usually say which is “look! over there! SQUIRREL!” . . instead, I’ll just direct them here.

Meantime. Have you LOOKED at your thermometers lately? The hell?

(Yes, that is a bit of gratuitous heat I have put in up there but, hello– it’s 4 degrees out and that’s the WARM part of New England today. I figured I can’t be the only one ready to be thinking of sitting around the fireplace at Squam.)