the summer after my sophomore year in college,
i worked as a counselor at camp greystone.
greystone is one of the coolest, most magical places on earth for about a billion and twenty seven reasons, but i feel compelled to write about one in particular tonight:
jimdaddy.
jimdaddy was the epitome of a someone who lived life to the fullest. one of the senior directors of camp, he ceaselessly wore a smile and encouraged everyone to decide, right when they got out of bed each morning, that that day was going to be a GREAT day! he had jokes and stories to keep one entertained for days, he knew exactly how to encourage people to be the best version of themselves, and even at 75 (ish!?) years of age, he still worked out several times a week / had enough energy and vigor to rival a 16-year-old guy.
this morning, i received an email saying that jimdaddy had passed away unexpectedly yesterday evening. despite having only spent one summer with this man, all of today, my heart has been like... jimdaddy? really?! gone?
i just cannot believe it.
so why do i write about this tonight, when the theme of this blog is to celebrate simple joys??
because what a joy it is to be able to say that someone (who, really, i barely knew) made such a significant impact on my life. i mean... how awesome!
may you, too, find joy, tonight, in remembering someone who's made a great impact in your own life.
joy :)
meg
"No matter your goal in life, keep your eye on the doughnut and not upon the hole!"
-Jimdaddy
sorry to hear about you loss....but he sounds like a great man!!
ReplyDeleteHi Meg - It's Elisa Bennett. Caroline sent me this link, and I loved what you wrote. I feel the same way - it's amazing how much he changed my perspective on life, and what he says about attitude is so right! I'm studying abroad in Brazil, and I find that when I'm feeling lost in life (or the streets/language), a little JimDaddy mantra will always keep me going: "You have everything to look forward to and nothing to dread!" Met the man only a few times, but as corny as it sounds, I think he changed my perspective on life! I really do believe that everything in life depends on your attitude!
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