Family, Friends, Fun and Future in Montana

I sometimes wonder if I’m the biggest dork on the planet. How many men age 47 will admit that one of their kids is probably their best friend?

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This Viewpoint blog is being beamed into civilization from Flathead Lake, Montana. My son Ben and I rode the train from St. Paul, Minnesota for the purpose of delivering him to his summer job. He’s now a camp counselor at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp in the shadow of a glacier. After 23 hours in transit, we were enthusiastically greeted by warm, handsome, college kids whose summer job is to touch the hearts of camp kids. Our hosts eagerly introduced themselves to my son Ben, and our traveling companions Andrew and Bryce. “And who are you?” she asked me. “I’m the dorky dad who rode along with his 20-year old son to camp” I said. “No, that’s not dorky, that’s wonderful,” she replied. “How many kids would want their dad to ride along?” Good point. These kids are not only beautiful, but smart.

Ah, another one of life’s great ironies. If you do a good job of parenting, you will raise kids that expect to touch the hearts of people. And, they might also be confident, strong and independent…which means they will be compelled to touch hearts in India, at Gustavus and now at Flathead Lutheran Camp in Montana. the better people they are, the more likely they will branch out farther from home.

When they do pass through ‘home’ they touch our hearts too. And its great fun when they let the old man tag along on the train, tour the camp and meet the people who will touch his heart.

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OK, so I still think its dorky – but I’m up for the ridicule. I’m a leadership coach, I’ll write this trip off to my own development. I want to see first-hand how the future leaders of the free world are shaping their lives. Especially when one of them is my friend.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]