It all began, 3 years ago. When our lad's sister first started attending this new place to learn, called Williamsburg Academy.
And at the end of that school year, she went to this camp called Elevation. She had a fantastic time there, few to none of her family understood the significance of that camp.
Until two years later, her brother started attending that same school.
He learned their ways, through some trial and error, but mostly, and most significantly, through being himself.
There he learned to tear down his walls and really learn and really be himself.
He found many great friends, although some of them came from places besides that school. He felt that he had hit the motherload of greatness in people and learning. It was hard and at times rough and tumbly, but he proceeded and came out stronger.
As that school year was progressing, he continued strengthening his relationships with his friends, he was even able to meet some in person. Which was always special, stemming from the online nature of the school.
As the year was wrapping to a close, he realized that Elevation was quickly drawing nigh. He wanted to make the most of it, but he also feared that he wouldn't and that he would leave feeling unfulfilled.
As the week of Elevation drew ever nearer, he was more and more anxious, more and more excited, more and more having a desire to save his emotions for the week of Elevation and to share them with his current friends, and those that he knew he would become friends with.
Then, the week before Elevation he finished up his last assignments, submitted them. And had to wait a whole half week until Elevation would start!
To remain sane, he whittled away his time, waiting, but trying not to think about the coming adventure.
In some ways he built up a strong desire to make the most of it, and in others he built up a strong fear that he would fall short in making the most of it.
Then, two days before he would embark on the journey to Elevation, he began to pack, he gathered everything together and made it ready. The next day passed swiftly and before he knew it, he was off to the mythical land of Crawdad Canyon.
He had the opportunity to ride with some fellow Burgers, the party of Burgers quickly bonded and joined in mutual excitement for the coming week.
Then, before they knew it, they had arrived at the canyon.
As they stepped into the light of the South Country, they started soaking up the reality of what they were about to participate in.
For the young man that we are following in this story, it almost seemed too much and too little at the same time. Here, here at long last were so many people that he knew over the vast distance of the internet.
As he would go up and see someone he knew, they would both embrace in a glorious and heartfelt hug. Then they would both look at each other in awe, wonder to themselves and sometimes aloud about the physical characteristics that they had imagined differently from the little that they'd seen of the other from a webcam.
Most were surprised by the height of the other, sometimes it was thought that the other would be taller, and sometimes shorter. Mostly for the lad we're following, it was thought that he was not as tall as he was. But for at least one, it was thought that he would have been taller still.
As the young man proceeded down the hill into the canyon, the people and the greetings continued. He made it eventually to a man that he respected much, and was informed as to which tent he would spend the week in. After setting his place in the tent and meeting some new people, he continued out to greet those that were still arriving, and to greet those that had already arrived.
After a little he realized that some of his friends were over at a table, retrieving fascinating food that would be consumed at the discretion of each person over the course of the week.
He proceeded to this table and received his allotted amount of food.
Then he continued talking to people, although at times he was forced to silence and separation from others by his fear of talking with people, he tried to talk himself out of this fear since he knew it was unfounded, but it went on for some time at times.
After some time though, his fear was put aside as all the people that were gathered together, were gathered into an even smaller area onto a patch of sand, that at this time was in a sorry state. But despite the state of the sand they gathered on, they organized themselves into standing where their state would be had the sand been a map of the United States of America.
There were those that had journeyed from the faraway lands of Virginia, Maryland, Georgia and Canada. And then there were those that had come from the mountains, in the Northern parts of the state, there were those from the even more Southernly lands of New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. There was even one who had journeyed from the distant and wet land of Costa Rica. There were also many from the Western land of California.
After they had organized themselves into a masterful pattern on the sand detailing out where they lived; they were then called upon by name to join with others who were also being called upon to join the ranks of the six great pods of Elevation!
The lad who we have thusfar followed, joined the ranks of the illustrious Fellowship that had been unwittingly called Pod Three. They adjourned the others and quickly united into the Fellowship that was known for it's gumption and prepared nature.
Though it had been said that in ages past it took hours if not days for the members of a pod to join together in unity, this Fellowship had done so in less than an hour. And it only became stronger throughout the week.
After this Fellowship had adjourned their members for the camp's free time, our lad found himself yet again beset by a desire to talk to others and to explore, but couldn't yet find the gumption to do so.
But, due to a magnificent lady that strolled by and that posed a simple question, we found our lad joining her and her companion on a journey to the Northern reaches of the canyon. After swiftly procuring permission to do so, they set off and in only a short while they reached the bounds that they had been set to stay within.
Though slightly tempted to journey beyond, they quickly turned themselves about and went on their way back to camp, though they did cross the creek along the way.
At this point we find the memory of the troubadour to be lacking slightly, but as best we can tell, the lad went on and was able to converse with others of his friends until such time as all were called together for that night's feast. Which was a magnificent meal of pasta in a tomato sauce.
Here we can find the memory of the troubadour strengthened by the worn record detailing out the times that events were had on this journey.
And from this record, the troubadour has remembered the demanding yet rewarding game of Koosh that the lad had played between the time of him eating dinner and the time that he had met with his pod that became a Fellowship.
The game of Koosh is simple to understand, but even a master at the game can be outwitted and outplayed by an amateur.
The rules are as follows: You must take the ball after the game has begun with it being thrown at the ground, then you must achieve a good shot at another with the ball to remove them from the game. You may not take more than three steps as you possess the ball, but, as the people whom you remove from play merely sit down where they are, you may throw the ball to them and they must throw it back to you, although it can be intercepted during either throw. The purpose of those who are out to sit on the field, besides moving the ball around, is because they may resume play once the person who has gotten them out has gotten out themself. The goal is to be the last person standing, thus having gotten all other players out, dealing you the title of Koosh Champion until it is challenged and usurped.
Though our lad did not become the Koosh Champion until there were but four players total, he was able to play well and had almost half out at one time or another.
To return to where we left off, we will find ourselves in the midst of yoga being done by those in the camp. Our lad had at times long past done yoga, but the memory had faded and so it was practically new to him, although he was able to relax his body and mind, as well as opening his mind to prepare himself for the week.
Then immediately following yoga, the camp was taken to meditation. Given slight direction, and encouraged to find what this camp would be for them, all found something different from another, but our lad found that he wanted to break free from limitations that he had long placed upon himself that he knew would restrict his ability to fully participate, be it only because it would be uncomfortable. This was his goal, along with a desire to be more of a leader that he knew he could be.
After the time for meditation had passed, it was time to pull out the journals that had been brought. There they recorded the answers to some questions that they were asked. Namely these: What am I afraid of at Elevation? Why am I here? and What can I contribute to this pod and others?
They were also asked to write how they had felt this first day, when they had felt vulnerable and what did they want?
One goal that might be surprising to note that our lad wrote down, is that he wanted to become vulnerable.
After the journaling was finished, the lad joined others around the campfire as stories were shared. There were only a couple due to the time appointed for everyone to be in their place of slumber for the evening, be it their tent or the patch of sand in the middle of camp. The stories that were shared though, were good and the lad was glad he got to listen to them. When it came time to retire, he proceeded to his tent and promptly fell asleep once ready.
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