Wilderness: the Sublime and the Beautiful
In 1757 Edmund Burke wrote A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. Edmund describes the sublime as astonishing, overwhelming, and frightening to human-beings but “delightful when we have an idea of pain and danger, without actually being in such circumstances. Whatever excites this delight, I call sublime.”
In other words, “we’re glad we went, but it sure is nice to be back home.” His description of the sublime is not far off from what we may call “Type-2 Fun.”
To some of our campers Falling Creek’s 900+ acres may evoke the feeling of the sublime. It may be their first year on property and they find themselves along with their cabin mates hiking off into the wilderness to spend a night in a shelter. It may feel scary.
However, as boys learn to navigate the perceived wilderness of camp, it becomes a more familiar and safe place. After some time, they begin to think of camp as beautiful, and the perfect place to experience awe of the natural world.
While Edmund’s definition of the sublime is overwhelmingly large, rough, and unfamiliar, his idea of something “beautiful” is smaller, softer, and with smooth surfaces.
He says it inspires social connection and community. The garden in your backyard or the park down the road may be thought of as familiar, inviting, and thus beautiful.
As boys become comfortable moving through the “wilderness” here at camp, they expand their definition of what feels familiar or “beautiful.” They become better equipped to go out into the world which may be overwhelmingly large, rough and irregular at times.
What was once scary or intimidating can be beautiful.
Over the past two nights here at camp, boys have had the opportunity to get more comfortable in the outdoors with their Cabin Overnights. This is the time when, once per session, campers go out to a shelter on property to cook dinner, bond as a cabin, and spend the night camping.
“I always loved Cabin Overnights,” said Freddy Somers, a former camper who returned for his second year on staff this summer.
Growing up in a big city (Dallas), I didn’t get the chance to go camping at home. I didn’t really go on trips when I was a camper, so the Cabin Overnight was like my one big chance to get to sleep outside.
Freddy is one of the counselors for Cabin 1, so in a full-circle moment, he’s now the one helping our newest campers have a positive introduction to camping.
Hank Shields is the co-counselor for Cabin 1, and he shares Freddy’s enthusiasm for Cabin Overnights. “Camping is just something I’ve always liked,” said Hank, who is studying Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at Mississippi State. Though he wasn’t a camper himself, Hank brings his personal camping experience and knowledge to FCC this summer.
It’s not just the counselors who bring their wilderness knowledge to the cabin overnights though - we have plenty of experienced campers as well. Connor L. from Brookhaven, GA said his cabin mate was crucial to the success of their campfire on Monday night.
We all worked together to light the campfire, but really it was thanks to Carter (L. from Bethesda, MD). He’s a Warrior in Backpacking.
Some boys feel hesitant about going camping for the first time, but most look forward to it.
As a new camper, Sebastian K. from New York, NY was heading out on his first ever cabin overnight. “I’m excited,” he said during pottery, as we talked about the upcoming overnights while working with clay.
Last night, the second half of camp went on their cabin overnights while the boys who went on Monday night played games for Competition Night as their Evening Program.
By the time you read this, bleary-eyed boys will be walking back from their cabin overnights, ready for a hot breakfast together in the Dining Hall.
Their sleepy smiles may be partially due to spending the night in an outdoor shelter rather than their beds, but the lack of sleep could also be blamed on the late night laughter around the campfire, staying up stargazing, or the conversations with new cabin mates that lasted long into the evening.
Camping can have its moments of discomfort, but it can also be a deeply satisfying “reset” to spend a night in the woods. Whether it’s a boy’s first time spending the night outdoors, or whether he’s a seasoned camper, the cabin overnights reveal a sense of accomplishment, initiate bonding as a cabin group, and are a fun memory for the session.
The outdoors are both sublime and beautiful, and we’re looking forward to spending the next few weeks enjoying them together.