Bag-O-Rama

It was afternoon coming back on the trail and just round the tree covered hill, our camp came into view.  Wincing with embarrassment, right there where we left them, the logs surrounding our site were still strewn with our sleeping bags and pajamas drying in the sun. It rankled how sloppy and unkempt they made our camp look. No one else had laid out their things to dry.  No, all the other troops had neat and tidy camps.  No sign of wet things!  We endured looks from the girls in the other troops that ranged from pity to delighted scorn. 

Rivers of rain had run through our pup tents as an unexpected torrential storm swept over the Jamboree gathering in the early morning hours.  We’d toughed it out and truthfully, we weren’t cold even though we were soaked through.  By sunrise the next morning, when Mr. and Mrs. Hedges insisted we pull out our sopping bags and PJ’s to dry – we protested LOUDLY!  “Today is the camp inspection!  If we lay out our things to dry we’ll never win the Jamboree Troop award ribbon!”  Our very British leaders brooked no disagreement, their faces set like flint against our begging.  And my mom, the troop Assistant Leader, was having none of it.  “You girls will not be comfortable and it’s not healthy sleeping in soaking wet bags – so, get them out, unzip and lay them out over the logs to dry.  Some things are more important than an award ribbon!”  My patrol friend and tent partner Kim and I had just straightened our sleeping bags, cleaned and tidied up our tent for inspection.  We wanted everything perfect in the hopes that our camp would win the big award from the Jamboree leadership.  Mr. Hedges had spent hours hand crafting the award – the beautiful leather and ribbon award was stamped and polished.  We wanted it hanging on our Troop Banner.  We slowly and sullenly complied with our leaders, pulling out our bags and PJ’s and laying them out.  I kept thinking, “Maybe they’ll dry before we go on our hike today and we can put everything away before inspection starts!”  But, as the time came for us to prepare for our hike – the bags were still heavily sodden with water.  Coming back from the hike and seeing the bags and PJ’s was just an ugly reminder that it was over – the inspection had already taken place.  We lost our chance and were in pretty poor spirits about it. 

As we gathered for dinner, we ate somewhat quietly and then cleaned up and prepared for the Jamboree campfire gathering, where the award was being given.  As the campfire time began we sang songs, watched and presented skits and then listened as our district leaders prepared for the award.  Our lead district representative talked about how it had been very easy for them to decide which Troop was getting the award this year.  They actually had only considered one camp from the very start.  I kept thinking – yeah, it’s the one next to ours that has the great layout and all THEIR SLEEPING BAGS ARE IN THEIR TENTS!  The district rep went on to say that Girl Scouting is most interested in building leadership qualities and equipping girls to not only make good decisions, but also in giving them the tools to support and carry out those good decisions.  Then, she announced our Troop number and I was stunned, then instantly overflowing with joy!  Our troop all looked at one another in amazement as our leaders went up to receive our award and we were asked to stand. 

I think of that Jamboree often as a pivotal moment in my life.  I was around 8 or 9, but I came away from that time with a change in me and the way I think about things.  It’s not about how things look; it’s about making good decisions and walking out everything in line to support them, even when it’s not pretty, even when it may seem disappointing, even when you doubt and may believe you’ve lost the prize.  Turns out, things are not always as they appear. Our troop spent a happy, warm, cozy and DRY night in our tents, the beautiful and prized award made by Mr. Hedges hanging on our troop banner.