Last Friday we were grilling hot dogs and marshmallows at the campfire with the kids. Despite the mysterious nature of whatever may actually be in hot dogs and marshmallows, it was a great way to end a good week.

As the staff were hanging with the kids, spontaneous water fights and marshmallow browning contests broke out in the fields beside the fire pit. The tide was rising, and as some of the campers and staff went to look at the great blue Northumberland Strait, they noticed wild strawberries growing along the fence. The sun was warm, the sky was bright: it was a beautiful day at the cove.

As I was watching the scene, one of our campers staggered up to me. He was wearing 3D glasses–not the blue and red kind from the 80s, but a newer version from a comic book. He walked around, arms outstretched, as if he was reaching for something. Then he looked up at me and said, “Wow! Everything is in 3D!”

It took me a minute to explain to him that, actually, everything you see is 3D. I watched his plasma-screen trained brain try to understand what I was saying. I wanted him to understand that out here in camp, life is 3D. Unlike his rec room, the real action takes place in front of him, and around him. The people sitting next to him at chapel or in team time are real, flesh-and-blood people, not just images on a screen. This, I said, pointing to all the activity around him, is real.

He scrunched his nose, pushed the glasses up on his face, and worked his way back to the campfire for more nitrates and mystery sugars. I, though, was left with that moment, and thankful that at Canoe Cove, life is in 3D.

Last Friday we were grilling hot dogs and marshmallows at the campfire with the kids. Despite the mysterious nature of whatever may actually be in hot dogs and marshmallows, it was a great way to end a good week.

As the staff were hanging with the kids, spontaneous water fights and marshmallow browning contests broke out in the fields beside the fire pit. The tide was rising, and as some of the campers and staff went to look at the great blue Northumberland Strait, they noticed wild strawberries growing along the fence. The sun was warm, the sky was bright: it was a beautiful day at the cove.

As I was watching the scene, one of our campers staggered up to me. He was wearing 3D glasses–not the blue and red kind from the 80s, but a newer version from a comic book. He walked around, arms outstretched, as if he was reaching for something. Then he looked up at me and said, “Wow! Everything is in 3D!”

It took me a minute to explain to him that, actually, everything you see is 3D. I watched his plasma-screen trained brain try to understand what I was saying. I wanted him to understand that out here in camp, life is 3D. Unlike his rec room, the real action takes place in front of him, and around him. The people sitting next to him at chapel or in team time are real, flesh-and-blood people, not just images on a screen. This, I said, pointing to all the activity around him, is real.

He scrunched his nose, pushed the glasses up on his face, and worked his way back to the campfire for more nitrates and mystery sugars. I, though, was left with that moment, and thankful that at Canoe Cove, life is in 3D.