Epic

I went back to Ann Arbor this weekend. I say “back” because I was just there three weeks ago and never got around to writing about it while wrestling my way through the flames of midterm hell. Lemme give you the short version: it was hands down one of the best weekends I have ever had. And this past weekend? It was the sequel. Everyone knows that things come in threes… so I conveniently already have my plane ticket for my next trip to Michigan. One week at Winter Camp, and one week following that down in Ann Arbor. I love my life.

My roommate from sophomore year (who I love dearly) loves giving me a hard time about “camp people” and how apparently all the camp people she has known are hooked on one statement that is for her impossibly vague, slightly pretentious, and just all around annoying: “it was a really great experience.” So for years now, every time something great happens she’ll smack on her biggest grin and ask, “Was it a really great experience?” and I usually just laugh or sometimes I even say it before she can. Point is: Yes. It was an experience… to say the very, very least.

So now on to this past weekend…

I flew out Thursday afternoon and landed just as the night took on full darkness. I saw the lights below and realized that the way I feel when I land in Detroit must be the way other people feel when their plane lands in Miami, Vegas, or NYC. Namely: consumed with blind trust that an epic time is about to be had, and there is no way in hell I can possibly predict what that means.

When I was in town a few weeks back I had a whirlwind of a time seeing so many people but without really getting much quality one-on-one time with people. So when I realized I was coming back to A2, I decided I really wanted to do a better job of balancing quality time with a few people and raging time with a lot of people. It would take me three weeks to get quality time with all of the people I love in the Ann Arbor area, but I did a pretty decent job. We gather strength from reconnecting with friends in the same way we are energized by nature and music. I was ready for an emotional boost and got it in a big way. It was wonderful to see you.

At one point this weekend I was talking to a friend about the nature of friendship, and specifically about camp friendships. We got talking about how some manage to stay strong outside of camp, some get stronger, some last a lifetime. Hell, some people get married. Then he said something interesting. I said something about everyone having their good friends from camp, and he said, “Yeah, but your friends are different. People have friends, sure… but your friends are a family. Equal parts functional and dysfunctional. You put up with each other’s crap, have your issues with one another now and then, whatever. You’re a family.”

It was so on point I almost fell over. I keep thinking about that over an over, and I’m reeling from the reality because he was so right. We all need family, and I love mine.

I wish I had the patience to sit here and write more, but the thing about spending four days visiting Ann Arbor is I am now about 800 hours behind on sleep.

And when I leave? It’s like banquet all over again.