a raspberry ridge story.

i was playing soccer. defense. it was the end of the camp day, just minutes before all the campers would straggle to their cars and the grounds of raspberry ridge would fall soft into silence.

but we were playing soccer. and it was far from silent.

the sun beat down on the field as handfuls of us at a time fought over the ball in a way that was wholesomely good-natured and fiercely competitive at the same time. i'm not quite sure how that works; it's just one of the awesome attitudes that flourishes at raspberry ridge.

at this particular moment, i wasn't one of the ones in direct combat. i was watching. waiting, staying open...relaxed and resting for a minute but poised for action at the blink of an eye. focused outward.

but from behind, i hear the voice of a young boy. "did you know that you have sweat on the back of your shirt in the shape of a heart?"

how those children make me smile.