Weequahic is a proud member of the Pennsylvania Camp Alliance. It’s a great group of camps from all over the state that work to better each other and work closely to educate and advocate for our chosen industry.
You may not know this but Pennsylvania’s motto is ‘The Keystone State.’ It’s an important idea, being a ‘keystone.’ If you don’t know what it means, a ‘keystone’ is a ‘central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together.’
Without a strong and stable ‘keystone’, the arch falls. No more bridge, roof, or other important structure. Builders have to choose a strong stone and place it correctly so that everything holds together and lasts.
Choices
We talk a lot about ‘choices’ at Weequahic.
Yes, our campers get to choose their activities (and do them only with other kids in their same age group). Yes, our kiddos get to choose from between a ton of great food options in our Dining Hall thanks for Chefs Daniel and Isian and the team. Heck, our campers even get to choose if they want a top or bottom bunk before they get to camp.
But there is a whole set of choices that are made each and every day (moment to moment, really) that are so much more important: how you choose to act.
That’s an important idea that our campers are reminded of often at Weequahic. When something challenging happens, you can choose to act courageously or inappropriately or even ignore it completely. (That last one is a choice, too!)
But, without our parents there to watch over and help guide the choices, what happens? Well… we get a lot of learning. More than anything else, we learn about the keystone of all values:
Integrity
Warren Buffet, one of the greatest investors and business owners to ever live, looks for three things in people. Speaking to a graduate class at an Ivy League school, he answered ‘What qualities do you look for in people?’ question this way:
“Intelligence, energy, and integrity. And if they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two. I tell them, ‘Everyone here has the intelligence and energy—you wouldn’t be here otherwise. But the integrity is up to you. You weren’t born with it, you can’t learn it in school.”
How do you treat people when no one else is looking? How do you treat someone who can do nothing or very little to help you? Do you choose to honor your promises or not?
Bob Marley said,
“The greatness of a (person) is not in how much wealth they acquire, but in (their) integrity and (their) ability to affect those around him positively.”
Not Easy… and Important
Living a life of integrity is not easy… and it’s more fulfilling. The moments I feel the worst are when I know I’ve should have said something or done something but didn’t. I didn’t live with integrity.
Why? Most likely because I was afraid. I didn’t practice one of the cardinal virtues of Weequahic – courage – and, instead, led a smaller life in that moment.
But, we get to choose again and again and again. The more often we choose to live with integrity, the more of a habit it becomes.
Go out there and act with integrity. It’s a keystone habit and one that, while not always easy, is doubly important. Have a great weekend!
