We went to Young Life's Family Camp at Woodleaf this past weekend. It was a great time for the whole family. The kids were ready to do anything and everything. It was clear that they were going to try and do everything offered in the first day. If you have never been to a Young Life Camp, they are pretty amazing. Woodleaf has a double zip line that takes you from the top of camp and dumps you into the lake. There is a Blob (a violent experience according to Jason Golz), kayaking, a pool and a giant swing. A giant swing is a poor name and description of this adrenaline creating thrill ride.
You get into a Swiss seat, then a chest harness. Then climb up a six foot platform and sit on the swing's seat. The Young Life staff then clips you into the bar in two different places, the Swiss seat and chest harness. After the two of you are safely clipped in, the platform is pulled away and then a winch hoists you up 30 feet where you decide who is going to pull the rope that releases you from the winch. One tug and you free fall for a second then swing out over the lake. It is a thrilling ride and is very popular. The line does not move quickly because of the emphasis on safety.
Ean saw his brother and sister do the swing and decided that he wanted to try it. We went down right after lunch and got in line, we were in the front and the swing was going to open in 20 minutes. It was hot and sunny, but I knew that this was a real good thing so I suggested that we wait. Ean agreed. Then at about five minutes before the opening of the swing, a group came up to the line that had formed (about ten of us) and announced that when the swing shut down before lunch, the staff had handed out numbers so they were going to go first. This seemed fair to me, but not to my six- year old. He was very disappointed. The thing was that two more groups staggered in, whereas we were told at first there were six in front of us, it was really six groups. Needless to say it was an hour longer before we got up.
It was a good lesson in civility for Ean. We were following the rules, waiting our turn, doing what was fair even when it was difficult. The swing was awesome by the way. Then yesterday I had to get a prescription from Kaiser. There was a line of about thirty people. I waited in line, Ean in tow, and found out I had to wait. I was sitting in a chair at the front of the line. What I observed was difficult after experiencing the civility at camp.
As we sat there we watched over and over again people walking up to the front, ignoring the clearly marked signs and walk up to the window, only to feign surprise when the clerk told them that there was a line and they needed to get in it. Then many times the customer would explain that they were in a hurry and could not wait in line: parking, someone waiting for them, they had another appointment, etc. Over and over again these folks showed that they thought that the line was for everyone else and not for them.
This way of thinking is so attractive. Lines are not for me, rules do not apply to me, these things are for everyone else. But really, to live in our city with peace we have to practice civility on a daily basis. Letting others go first at Peet's, letting the other car have the parking space, following the rules that everyone else follows especially when it is inconvenient, especially when it costs.
Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
-Jesus
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