I saw it as an opportunity to reflect on four years of college that had just past. With this one last opportunity of a Becket summer, I made the most of it. Whereas in the past I might be tired and take a free time resting in the counselors' shack, now I extended myself to campers outside my cabin and my village. I was honored at the end of the session by being asked to organize Candlelight - the end of session reflective service. We chose the theme "The Becket Way".
As I was backing up my computer, I found my message from that Candlelight. I fear I may not find it again, so I am posting it here knowing that Google will cache it for me to find another day.
Camp Becket Candlelight 1st Session 2008
Message, Michael Sloan-Rossiter
This is my first summer back at camp after a two year break. Coming back to Becket, the contrasts from my life at College have been striking. I would like to talk about what makes Becket so special – our community’s commitment to living, loving, and serving each other that lies at the core of the Becket Way.
Outside Becket, we often judge ourselves in relation to others. We celebrate the best athletes in professional sports and the most popular celebrities in Hollywood. We are taught to celebrate when individuals achieve over others. We tell each other that someone is cool because he has the newest iPod or video game console. We look for the newest and coolest products to own so that these gadgets can make us cool too.
These successes and these products are usually fun, but only for those who own them. They cannot spread joy beyond that person. The joy can only spread so far because it is generated through relative success. When everyone has the same cell phone, a newer, better cellphone comes along to be the cool one. Think about competitive sports – if the Red Sox beat the Yankees, Red Sox fans are happy but the Yankees fans are disappointed.
At Becket, we reject the celebration of these relative sucesses. We do not worry about being the best – only about our community being the best it can be. We celebrate our collective successes – the achievements that bring all of us joy. This, more than anything else, is what I believe lies at the core of the Becket Way.
There are a number of things that we do to ensure that everyone can be a part of our joy. When a friend has a problem we listen to them and help them if we can. We are honest with ourselves and each other during the day and at cabin chat. As Adam discussed, our daily service to each other builds our loving community.
People often say that there must be something in the air at Becket – a certain magic that binds this community and inspires us to greatness. And there is. But it is a magic which we create together. At Becket, we discover that when we commit to living in brotherhood and service to one another, the result is greater than the sum of its parts. The magic of Becket is the magic of each of us living and loving and serving each other.
In the outside world, sometimes we build barriers and put up walls so that others cannot hurt us. At Becket we learn to tear down these barriers with the mottos. They help us live by the Becket Way. The mottos work because we all agree to live by them. ‘Each for all and all for each’ works because we trust that when we help fellow Becketites, they will help us back. ‘Better faithful than famous’ works at Becket because our good deeds are noticed and appreciated but the reward of service outweighs the pleasure of receiving the thanks.
Outside Becket, it is sometimes difficult to live by the mottos because people build barriers to protect themselves. The mutual respect found at Becket may not exist. In these situations, we can make up our own mottos to live by. We can keep the flame of Becket alive in our lives every time we reach out to our friends or do a good deed. Amici says it best: “through our Becket days we travel, with a purpose strong – doing deeds of love and service, as we pass along”.
After previous summers at camp, I would arrive home with the Becket spirit. One thing I’d do was pick up litter when I saw it. My friends were always grossed out: “that’s not your trash, let someone else pick it up” they would say. It’s easier to just let the litter sit there. But, as we know from post-cookout clean ups, if everyone picks up a few pieces of trash, then, like magic, there is none on the ground. We can all make a commitment to do one or a dozen small acts of good. Our lives and the lives of those we care about will be that much better for them.
Becket will always be here, even when we are not. Like the sun during night, during the winter Becket is only hidden, not gone. And day will break again, next summer for most of us. Know that there is a shining light here, know that you have helped to build it this summer. Make your last days of this summer count – live the Becket Way. And then live the Becket Way in your own lives – find a way to bring the sunshine of this place home with you.
Amici.
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