What was once a neighborhood playgroup blossomed into a family, and what started out as a weekend camping trip evolved into a cherished tradition. Five dads, eleven kids, two BB guns, a deck of cards, countless chocolate chip pancakes, and no WiFi.
There is a consensus among the kids about how tricky it is to explain our group to outsiders; we are more than just family friends, not blood-related, yet we have spent a staggering number of weekends, summers, and holidays together, forging bonds so strong that we might as well be siblings. We grew up together, climbing mountains, skiing, riding horses, breaking bones, and exploring national parks. When we became teens and phones threatened to dominate our attention, our parents would hide them during days at the lake, leaving us to fill our time with Clue, Risk, and BS. The value of being present was initially enforced but is now never lost on us.
In today's digital age, genuine presence is a rarity; technology often substitutes mindless scrolling for relaxation, and even without screens, our minds are programmed to think about future tasks or past embarrassments. While awareness is achievable anywhere, I am not ashamed to admit that having no choice helps. Immersing myself in the woods with no cell service gave me the space I needed to achieve true consciousness.
Without fail, we worked our way through an arsenal of conversation topics that proved to be vastly more entertaining than any we might have had if we relied on our phones as a crutch. We sat around the campfire roasting marshmallows and discussing webbed feet, Crocs in sport mode, our failed relationships, vestigial structures in mammals, the conversion of amygdalin to cyanide in cherry seeds, the complexities of bisexuality, and why we hate CorePower but love traditional hot yoga. We endured the blistering daytime heat by taking slow strolls around the park and playing cards in the shade of our campsite. We read books, sang songs, and played with fire.
I recognize how lucky I am to have experienced this unique upbringing, surrounded, supported, and loved by four additional sets of siblings and parents. We were raised to appreciate our time together and respect the nature that surrounded us. This weekend left me feeling energized and seen— I guess that’s just the power of fresh air and lifelong friends.
I’d like to eventually chronicle Playgroup’s adventures in a book someday. It would be quite the story.
With love,
Emma