say it with me
you’re okay
you’re okay
you’re okay
okay
keep going

During my summers in college I worked as a camp counselor in Northern Wisconsin.
Every now and again I would have a camper who would fall homesick.
And if there is one homesick camper, the second is close.
One evening I sat around the campfire with my co-counselor and a homesick 10-year-old who did not want to be at camp.

All he wanted was to go home.
All he wanted was his mom.
All he wanted was to not be where he was.

I think we’ve all been there.
Probably more than once.

As the smoke spiraled into the night’s sky we tried to tell him that everything was okay.

That he was okay.
That it was okay.
That everything was going to be okay.
Night after night we sat around the campfire and had a similar conversation.

The night before the last day of camp he finally believed me.

Sometimes we have to tell ourselves the things we’ve told other people.
Sometimes we have to tell ourselves the same few words over and over again.

Yesterday I was talking with one of my best friends and we agreed over and over that life is hard.

(because it is)

But we were okay.

And we are okay.

And I needed to hear him say that.
And I think he needed to hear me say it as well.
Life is hard, but we are okay.
I’m okay.
You’re okay.
It’s going to be okay.
Keep going.

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