Full Circle
Looking out over Seagull Lake in the snowy subzero silence of winter, I am taken back four years to my first moments at Wilderness Canoe Base.
Unlike many people who first experience Wilderness in summer, I first arrived on a frigid February night for a winter camping trip with my high school. As a studious seventeen-year-old with minimal outdoor experience, I was nervous about how the trip would turn out. Self-doubt and second-guessing ruled my thoughts as I crossed the frozen lake to Fishhook Island. As I approached the island, I noticed the lights of Pinecliff shining through the darkness. At that moment, the sight felt like a beacon of welcome and hope. While I was no closer to knowing the future, I felt reassured that this was a safe place to step outside my comfort zone and try something I could have never imagined myself doing.
The trip was a success and a true adventure for me. I left Wilderness feeling empowered and stronger than ever. That experience left a deep impression on me, and I wanted to help others have similar transformational experiences. So, I applied to work at Wilderness the following summer. Since then, I’ve worked three consecutive summers at Wilderness, helping facilitate transformational experiences for others as well as continuing to have such experiences of my own. I have found my first impression of Wilderness to hold true: it is a welcoming space and a safe place to try new things.
I am grateful to my seventeen-year-old self for taking the chance of going on the winter camping trip. Though the trip itself was an amazing experience, I see it as a pivotal point in my life that set me on my current path. Without it, I would have never become connected with Wilderness Canoe Base, and I know that I would be a very different person today without my experiences at Wilderness. Working as part of the retreat staff this winter is a full-circle moment for me.
This is more than just a unique seasonal job. It feels like coming home.
Written by Megan Meyer, 2021-22 Retreat Staff