John_Ashmen
New User
/ Moderator
May 7, 2007, 7:08 AM
Post #1 of 1
(1932 views)
|
|
Deciding to be Dangerous
|
Can't Post
|
|
By John Ashmen
“Dad, please leave the hall light on. And don’t shut my door all the way.”
These curious requests from author Erwin McManus’s son, a few evenings after he arrived home from camp, caused the concerned dad to inquire more deeply as to how the past week went.
“Was there anything that happened you’d like to talk about?” he asked compassionately.
Eventually the boy began to unload about the lingering effect some ghost stories told late at night in the cabin were having on him. He ended by asking his dad to say a bedtime prayer requesting that he would be safe.
“I’ll tell you what,” responded Erwin. “Instead of asking God to keep you safe, I’m going to ask God to make you dangerous.” The child thought for a moment and then smiled broadly. Having the ghost be afraid of him was an intriguing idea.
What kind of dad, you ask, would not want his son to be comforted with a prayer of protection? The answer is one who wants him to know that the world is full of uncertainty, mystery and risk, and that advancing rather than retreating is the wisest way to live life.
Every night across America, TVs blare embellished bad news about pervasive devastation and destruction. Fretful parents respond by increasing risk-minimization measures: stricter curfews, shorter roaming radiuses, fewer involvements in venturesome activities, better surveillance and communication devices. Anything that might ensure safety is considered. As a society, we now seem to be all about keeping kids from being vulnerable so they will get to grow up and be comfortable.
But life isn’t always comfortable. And such concentrated and constant sheltering can weaken a generation’s grip on reality, causing its members to succumb more easily in the face of minor adversity (let alone major calamity).
This is where camp comes in. For decades, camp has been a place where adolescents have been actively taught how to engage with real life: the unpredictability of nature, the fickle interaction of peers, the challenge of trying a totally new activity, the frustration of not finishing first in a competition (and, unfortunately, sometimes even the ramifications of late-night ghost stories). Yet with its joys and disappointments, through courageous endeavors and fearful encounters, camp continues to be the best place to tighten a young person’s grip on the realities of life.
I have a friend in the insurance business with a program on his computer that assesses risk. To get the lowest premiums, one must choose what is safe, not what is dangerous. Parents today seem to have a built-in risk assessment program. Playing inside: safer. Riding your bike on the street: more dangerous. Taking piano lessons: safer. Going out for football: more dangerous. Sleeping over at a friend’s house down the street: safer. Going away to camp: more dangerous. But when it comes to raising kids, it’s not about low premiums; it’s about preparing them for what’s ahead in life. It’s about helping them learn to advance rather than retreat.
Yes, there are plenty of things to fear in the world today. But living in fear is not a way to really live. As Erwin McManus says in his book The Barbarian Way (Nelson Books, 2005) we need to help our children decide to be dangerous. Doing so will keep them from a life that is boring, mundane and ordinary, and give them one of faith, risk and adventure. * * * John Ashmen is one of the most strategic thinkers and prolific writers on youth camping and the rejuvenation power of a “getaway experience.” He was a camp director for 20 years at camps in NewJersey and Colorado, and served 15 years in a key leadership role with Christian Camp and Conference Association. He is currently the executive director of Christian Hospitality Network.
---
|
