i spent the summers growing up at indian lake nazarene campgrounds outside of kalamazoo, mi. as a child, several weeks every summer were spent driving my grandparents crazy while we stayed with them. when my sister and i finally became old enough to really be obnoxious, my parents bought a small cabin down the road from my grandparents summer home so we could run in and out of there instead of my grandparents house. it was a safe place to be. everyone knew us so we were able to run free without worries (or our parents). between our bikes and the lake, we were never lacking for something to do.
when i was old enough, i started working on the campgrounds in the dining hall and snack bar. my two weeks at the campgrounds turned in to 2 months and i was never happier. starting the summer i turned 14, as soon as school was out, i moved into my dorm room at indian lake and worked non-stop for the summer. i never really thought about what i was giving up to do this. i didn't care that i had to actually make new friends at school in the fall because i'd fall out of touch with everyone during the summer. i didn't care about the activities i was missing out on back home during the summer. i just cared about spending time at indian lake. and i loved my job. i learned to be a hard worker. i learned to give my best at whatever job i was doing whether it was helping people or washing dishes. i learned it was ok to have fun at work (within reason). i learned that all transgressions can be forgiven (and there were a lot of transgressions and a lot of forgiveness). i learned how to make really good iced tea. i learned to deal with cranky customers (though it turns out to be very awkward when the cranky customer turns out to be one of your college professors the next year). i learned that indian lake nazarene campgrounds is my home.
like no other place i've ever lived (and i've lived in quite a few places), indian lake is the place that feels like home. only one summer in my nearly 33 years did i not make it to indian lake for at least a weekend and i missed it...a lot. since i stopped working here at the age of 21, i have spent a lot less time here, but now the time feels even more special because it is more rare. a weekend here, a weekend there. but every time i'm here i'm reminded about home much i love it....especially when i didn't really feel like making the trip to start with.
this weekend, i'm at indian lake. memorial weekend launches the summer activities here. and it never fails that i am reminded how much i love it here every time i arrive. but nothing reminds me more how much i love it as when the sun goes down and people start to disappear into their homes, cabins, trails and tents. that is when the camp feels the most like home to me. after dark are when all my favorite memories happened. you see, i worked all day (and a lot of the night as well) so the only time i had to enjoy the campgrounds and the lake was after everything had wound down for the day. i did a lot of night time swimming, played a lot of night time games of hide and seek, i screwed up my chances for my first kiss late one night (my 2nd favorite indian lake memory oddly enough) while in high school and received my first kiss several years later on a dock over the lake under a full moon late one night (my absolute favorite memory)...different guy than the missed first attempt. night time at indian lake is special to me. night time at indian lake is home to me. i don't think that will ever change.
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