Singing with Lee on the front porch of the Farmhouse (Summer 2021)

https://sites.google.com/view…

I still remember my first one-on-one moment with Lee. I was 10 years old, in 1977, during my first summer at Nyoda, and I was very homesick. She found me sitting outside the shower house, crying, and brought me down to the farmhouse. Lee talked with me—honestly and directly—about why I felt the way I did, and about all the things I could experience if I gave camp a chance.

I took her advice, tried new things, and slowly began to feel at home. Before long, I was asking if I could stay two more weeks. I did—and I never looked back.

Lee’s straightforward conversation stayed with me. It shifted my perspective in a way that truly mattered. I have many more stories, but this is the one that started it all.

This is a poem I wrote in 2019 after spending a few weeks at Nyoda and many hours with Lee. What a gift her life was to mine.

Lee

She said: "Don't scratch that bug bite." I learned: Be gentle.

She said: "Don't be afraid of snakes." I learned: Be corageous.

She said: "Don't say 'oh my God'." I learned: Be reverent.

She said: "Don't walk by yourself." I learned: Be a good friend.

She said: "Listen to that bird!" I learned: Be curious.

She said: "Let's make up a song!" I learned: Be creative.

She said: "You did that job poorly." I learned: Be responsible.

She said: "You did that job well." I learned: Be encouraging.

She said: "I can do it on my own." I learned: Be strong.

She said: "I need help." I learned: Be vulnerable.

She said: "I'm sorry, I was wrong." I learned: Be true.

She said: "I love you." I learned: Be yourself.