TMC

I have spent 7 of the best summers of my life attending and working at an overnight camp on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. The campground is largely cut off from the outside world, so I take this time to be secluded and admire and submerge in the nature around me.

Camp Hale is a 120-year-old boys, now Coed, splitting the summers equally. For me, Camp was a foundational piece in my life. I can easily say that without Camp, I would not be where I am at today. Yeah, that's quite a big statement. There are obviously many things that got me to where I am today. But Camp was so formational in my maturing, transformational in growing my ability to lead, and impactful to my development. It helped me to understand who I am and taught me how to be true to myself. 

Squam Lake, if you don't know, is the second largest lake within the borders of New Hampshire (technically it's #3, but some of #2 is in Maine). I do know people who feel very strongly about Winnipesaukee. It is a nice Lake, that's where I first went when I visited NH. But that the thing, it's a tourist destination. It's simply not the best lake in New Hampshire, and that shouldn't be such a controversial statement. Now that that is aside, time to talk about the beauty of the lake and how I got to know it so well-being at Camp. 

Camp is nestled elegantly on the lake and what is called Hale Cove in the town Center Sandwich. I always say that location is such a diamond in the rough. A few acres of land, a quarter-mile of accessible waterfront by boat, kayak, canoe, or paddleboard; on top of Swimming docks, fishing rods, and all the rest of it. 

Throughout these years, I have caught countless sunsets, shots of the vast forest, and some stupefying views on top of mountains. These peak summer sunsets on Squam don't have much competition in quantity or quality. Some nights the sky is painted in a pink and orange gradient; others a greenish-blue glow along the horizon. Every night the sky puts on a different light show. This night either a storm was rolling or had just rolled out; whichever it was, it allowed for this evening's sunset to be visible. The horizon was radiating an orange glow that clashed sharply with the dark clouds and lake below.

The countless dazzling sunsets I did catch are where I first fell in love with the sun. Each one so unique, each so individual in nature every single night. Sitting on the dock, or one of several different spots on the waterfront, you get to see different perspectives and clouds. 

The colossal-ness of the sun has always left me awestruck. It is something that most of us do not spend a lot of time thinking about; we take the sun for granted. It is 93 million miles away and provides us with almost everything. It is a giant ball of fire that we can not live without. And on top of all of that, it still delivers astonishing visual displays.

 

P.S.- I rank New Hampshire, specifically Camp Hale, the number two spot, personally, to catch a sunset. I appreciate the lack of light pollution that allows for the beautiful natural displays; the almost uninhabited openness that provides for terrific landscape views; and of course, the reflection off a perfectly still lake.