Bittersweet Vacation

As many of you may already know, My wife and I are directors of a camp for families affected by AIDS/HIV. For the first time in over 10 years, we are taking our vacation and not doing "camp". We work tirelessly all year to fund raise and program and brainstorm to pull it off. This year, with the shitty economy, and all things seeming to conspire against us, we've had to accept that a one year hiatus was necessary. Stubborn, stupid, whatever, we waited as long as we could before we were honest with ourselves and we called off about 3 weeks ago. As burned out and in need of a real vacation as we both are, I am sad. We have become so accustomed to kicking ass and taking names and doing this camp that we do, that neither of us even knows what to do with ourselves. There is a hole in our life this year that is usually filled with the experiences both good and bad from camp.
Tomorrow we meet for a BBQ with our families and staff, I look forward to seeing a camper who hasn't been to camp in 5 years. Last time he was at camp he was 12... Now he returns at 17, I'm scared to see that he grew a foot, or he has a huge muscles and a mustache.
This special camper has called me, my wife and my brother, about 5000 times in those five years. Most likely on someone else's cell phone or long distance, Sometimes collect from jail, usually at a bad time like in the middle of a wedding, but he hasn't let us forget why we do it. We do it because we can't imagine not doing it.

Thanks Buddy.