Why Am I Still Doing This…or, Why Would I Want To Stop?

Mel is the Queen Creator of The Blog. However, she's asked committee members to help her out by creating posts. So it's me, Pat posting this one. 

As Labor Day began to creep up, so did thoughts of what I'd bring as an auction donation. Also…committee e-mails about GE and logistical discussions between myself and Deb may have also been little nudges! I finished work early one day and decided it was the perfect opportunity to head to …Aw. You thought I was gonna give a hint about where I shopped, didn't you? Nope.

Anyhow, off I went. When he got home, my husband decided that he liked my purchase so much, he wants to bid on it. So ...there's already competition! 

This blog post was written because I was about to wrap this surprise. I began thinking about my fellow  Great Escape committee members. Some old, some new, some gone on sabbatical and now returned. I've always said that these are the most amazing bunch of women I've ever known. Some of them are best friends. Some I've traveled with (Washington D.C with the 'clown car' cab ride, conventions, Ohio and a variety of canoe trips). Some I only see at GE meetings. With all of them I've laughed and cried…crying mostly because I'm laughing too hard. I'm talking my drink coming out my nose laughing. I mean I can't breathe or catch my breath laughing. I mean when I am prepping to go home, my face hurts! Can it get better than that??

But why do we all come together? It's the same for all of us. It's an openness to whoever is interested in coming along for the ride and that promise of friendship that attracts with a good time for sure…but what else? It's certainly no weekend of relaxation for us…but when you love what you're doing it doesn't feel like 'work', does it? But what really brings us all together in the end is that we believe in Girl Scouts. I mean really believe. We have members with and without troops. Some who had girls who were or are GS's. Some with boys and no girls at all. Some with no children. But all of us come together, for a weekend in the woods of New Hampshire, because of that common thread. We believe that if you take care of and nurture adults, they are able to give more, to become energized by your caretaking to do the amazing things they do for girls.

So… we meet once at retreat and a couple other times a year to energize ourselves, get silly, eat great food and do lots of planning so that we can make a weekend of fun for you. Come on up to New Hampshire in a few weeks. Get silly with us and eat great food. Learn stuff. Let us entertain or relax you. Depends on which workshops you take, right?:)

But come on up so we can help you take care of yourselves and so you can give to those whom you give to so freely. You deserve it!