As I write this we’re just preparing for families to come up and say hello for Visiting Day! That means first half is almost over. After this we have just a few days of fun and games and closing experiences before many of our brothers head on home for the year. A lucky few will be staying full-season this year and won’t have to leave until August fourteenth. If your son is scheduled to head home this week but really wants to stay, please get in touch. We have a bit of space to extend first half campers, and I’m always happy to have more time to get to know our campers!
During the second Naming Ceremony of first half which just happened, one important idea came to me that I wanted to share. You may already know our explanation of why we don’t say our own Flying Cloud Names. Basically, we choose not to because Names are supposed to represent all that’s wonderful about us and to give us something to aspire to, and to enumerate those qualities by saying our own names would be boastful. Instead, we will ask one of our Flying Cloud brothers to introduce us.
The part I wanted to emphasize right now is that Flying Cloud Names demand something from each of us. When the FC community recognizes us for something, it’s also a sign that we have a special gift which we can bring to our brothers at FC and all of our communities throughout our life. While we always feel humbled and thankful for the affirmation we receive in a name, at the same time it’s a stamp of responsibility, in that we now must live up to the high standards our brothers have set for us. Just one more layer to add to the philosophy of Flying Cloud.