Friday night, Kineret (rising 6th graders) campers lead services at Chapel on the Hill. The campers and staff spoke about what gratitude means to them.

By Sammie, Elodie & Annie
Gratitude is thanking god. Gratitude is thanking others. Gratitude is thanking yourself. Gratitude is an important aspect of life.  Acknowledging others sacrifices is more important that it seems. One good deed leads to another; if more people acknowledged others kindness it will spread throughout camp and will make it a more inclusive community. One way to thank god is through prayer. Another way to thank others vocally. A way to thank yourself is to treat yourself.  To quote Bongo Peter,  “Gratitude is free so give it out and take it when you can”

By Raya, Eva, Rachel and Scarlett
To us, gratitude is being thankful to appreciative for the things around us.  Whether it’s being thankful for your family or just life itself, there’s always something to be grateful for. There are many things we forget to be thankful for on a daily basis.  Here at camp, we are reminded to show gratitude everyday, for things like finally being old enough for Rak Dan, and for working showers. This theme relates to the Ma-ariv Aravim, which says that we should be grateful for waking up every morning and going to sleep every night, which is often something we forget to be thankful for. Being grateful and appreciative can help you become a better person. For example, if you take the time to notice all the great things about your friends you can be more patient when they’re having a bad day. Never forget to show gratitude because to not only does it help you, but it also positively affects those around you.  We encourage you to be consciously grateful for one thing today that you wouldn’t normally think about.

By Sam, Izzy and Julie
As first year counselors, we often forget to express gratitude here at camp. This is  why we love to see our campers showing gratitude for the little things at camp each and everyday. Everyday brings something new.  Our campers never fail to surprise us and allow us to appreciate camp and express our gratitude for our new roles as counselors. The Hashkiveinu prayer is about peaceful nights and the ability to wake up for a new and exciting day. While not all of our nights are peaceful, we look forward to each day anyway. Even though camp can be hectic, we encourage you, no matter your role here, to take a minute each day to show gratitude for the little things.