Okay. Picture this.
You are a camp counselor and today just isn’t your day. Your car breaks down on the way to work; you forget your coffee; you prick yourself with your name tag; the kids seem as tired as you are and cannot agree on a game to play; you get hit in the face with dodge balls at least four times before you vow to stop counting; and by the time your shift is over, your feet hurt, your head aches, and frustration pulses through you.
I hate to say it, but these days do happen. They are greatly outnumbered by the good moments, don’t get me wrong, but when the stress of kid care sneaks up on you, it can be overwhelming to say the least.
However, if you are overcome with this wave of emotion on a Tuesday, you’re in luck! It is a Camp Greenwood tradition for coworkers to unite one day a week to exhale any stress that the day has entailed, reminisce on the high points, and catch up in a relaxed environment. So every Tuesday, we gather at Buffalo Wild Wings to bond over the sticky spice of hot wings.
Much like the intensity of our days at camp, the sauces have a wide range of flavors, spanning from “Sweet BBQ,” which leaves you smiling and licking your fingers, to the fiery insanity that is “Blazin’,” which results in tears on your face, sweat on your forehead, and, well, if you get it in your eye…just ask Lindsey. 🙂
I tend to stay within the greenish-yellow area on the scale of spiciness at Buffalo Wild Wings because it is safe and comfortable, much like those camp days where the pool feels warm, the kids get along, and there is no reason to fill out an accident report. These days pass by fluidly, but as much as I appreciate the cooperation…it is the little pinch of spice that keeps us on our toes.
Last Tuesday, I caved to the peer pressure of my coworkers and tried a wing that was coated…no, dripping, with “Blazin’” sauce. Upon initially experiencing the subtle tickle in my throat and on my lips, I thought I could handle the impending blaze. But with the passing of each second, as the tickle crept through my sinuses and intensified, I braced myself. Unfortunately for me, no amount of warning could have prepared me for the heat that hijacked my senses.
Basically, I felt like I had just swallowed the sun.
But after a few everlasting minutes, some encouraging words, and a handful of ice cubes later, I was proud to have survived the Blazin’ hot wing.
Just like at the end of a demanding day at camp, I was left with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that I would have never been exposed to had I never faced the challenge. The intense moments allow us to appreciate the steady ones that much more.
Will I ever eat a hot wing that spicy again? Absolutely not.
But at the very least, I know that despite camp’s daily trials and tribulations, we, as counselors, can handle them…and at the end of the day, they help us grow.
After all, it is the sugar and the spice that makes our job so rewarding.