We’ll, it’s been a hell of a year. It seems as though it was just yesterday that we were walking through the woods of Pony Pasture together at midnight, not talking and not even considering letting go of our fellow lodgers. Somehow, that night has stuck out in my memory the most out of all our earth lodge experiences. Though it was last year and we really didn’t know each other very well, we formed a bond of trust and companionship that is the basis of our community and has undoubtedly stuck with us to this day. It’s really not about where you end up, it’s about the ride. And it’s been fantastic since that night in the woods.
Looking back on the year, a number of feelings come to mind. There’s no question that Earth Lodge is a family. Whether I fully embraced that is pretty much a losing argument for me. Despite that, Earth Lodge has always been a home and that’s the way it should be. The preservation of Earth Lodge’s charm will be forever in the hands of those to come and some level of faith has to be placed in their hands. I first experienced that charm during February of my sophomore year.
It was a day that’s hard to erase from my memory, mainly because it was so incredibly beautiful. It was high 70s, low 80s during February. After an arguably cold winter, weather like that was too good to be true. It was Jerry’s birthday, and a number of us went to Belle Isle with packed sandwiches and spend the afternoon enjoying each other and the river. It was my first time meeting Jerry and a number of other then-Earth Lodgers. It was a group of people unlike any other on campus. It gave me a breath of fresh air and I was instantly hooked. Because I lived in such close proximity to Earth Lodge (Marsh), I was able to spend a considerable amount of time with Earth Lodgers and really feel as though I was part of the group. Because Colin was also in my fraternity, a bridge was built between the arguably polar opposites of social group and I was able to experience the best of both worlds that Richmond had to offer. The rest of that semester was filled with wacky memories and probably some of the most fun week/weekend nights I’ll ever have here at Richmond. When I think of Earth Lodge, many of those days come to mind. However, we’ve created some pretty great memories as well.
The trip to Shenandoah was by far one of the best things that happened to Earth Lodge this year. The drive was beautiful and especially great for me; I love taking long road trips. The best part was when we all piled out of our van and took off through the woods. That was the quintessential earth lodge moment for myself, and one that I’ll always remember. In the past when we’ve gone “camping” it’s always been far more recreational than I imagine prior. Usually we’re surrounded by families and periodically interrupted by the campsite owner cruising around in his truck or golf cart. But no, things were different this time. We were really out there and for the first time in years I was brought back to my childhood desires of taking after Brian Robeson from Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. It’s the story of a boy who survived a plane crash in the woods of Northern Canada and proceeded to survive in the wilderness and provide for himself throughout a number of weeks. I was practically obsessed with the book and even had a “hatchet” of my own. In reality it was really dull and could hardly be used to cut even the most dead of branches/small trees. Because we used to live on a river ourselves, the Seabastacook, I considered the thick riparian zone & its woods to be my oasis and land of adventure. I constructed a number of lean-to shelters and even began building a log-cabin style shelter that, when looking back, had no chance of actually being sturdy enough for significant weather or Maine’s harsh winters. It definitely collapsed. Prior to going off on a bit of a tangent there, I was trying to convey the fact that it was a complete break from the grind and completely changed my outlook for the rest of the semester. Somewhere in between the drive into the mountains, the fireside & stargazing talks, snuggling together on the porch for warmth, and continually looking through my lens’ for the first time in what feels like forever, I felt a sense of home and comfort that I haven’t felt in a really long time.
Another regret is the fact that my reflection spot didn’t see nearly as much action as I was hoping it could throughout the semester. I ended up discovering new spots as the semester drew on, one of them fitting perfectly into my weekly class schedule. The one advantage about having a night class in the business school this semester was my ability to visit this particular reflection spot nearly every week. The courtyard outside the rear entrance of the business school became my weekly spot. It was the most calming portion of my busy day; I was able to sit outside, eat dinner, and take some time for myself. It was fantastic. It wasn’t necessarily the intended reflection spot per se, but reflection was accomplished.
Earth Lodge has also given me some serious perspective on areas of study that I previously have had no experience in. Our book club talks on apocalyptic scenarios and the continual impact of technology on a generation of green-minded people. Those discussions really sparked my interest- mainly due to the applicable nature to our current lives as college students.
Overall this course has served my interests ten fold and generated a group of people I hope to be close with throughout college and hopefully beyond. And as we go on, here’s something to keep in mind in the words of Gary Paulsen-
” ‘You are your most valuable asset. Don’t forget that. You are the best thing you have.’ ”
Over and out.
-Kelin