Rewind.

There are two kinds of kids: those who go to summer camp and those who don’t.

I, being one of the former, have always been looked forward to those one or two or however many weeks during the summer I was able to get away.

Each summer I would spend one week at my primary summer camp — Camp Harris — and another week off trying new camps in places like New Mexico, Florida and Texas.

Those weeks were the highlights of my summers, and I even got to experience the other side when I took my first job at Camp Harris.

At that point I thought I was done exploring new camps, that is, until I got a new girlfriend in 2012. While on our new relationship high, she told me she would be leaving for the summer to work at her childhood camp, Warner-Tully, I was understandably disappointed.

I did the only thing I could think of at the time. I applied to Warner-Tully. I got the job.

Pause.

When I decided to go to Mississippi for camp I never knew it would be so hard to give up. I’ve found myself going back year after year with the same people who have become like family to me.

This year I took a week off of work to go back to a place that really feels like home to me.

I realized I would rather stay in Cherokee cabin than any of the houses I’ve ever lived in. It was nice to be able to put life on pause for a little bit last week and reconnect with the great outdoors and some great people.

Fast forward.

Now Allison is a director at Warner-Tully, and I am more attached to the camp than ever.

In April, Allison and I plan to get married there, at the same camp she started going to 17 years ago.

One day I hope to have children of my own who are camp kids.

Maybe some of the kids in my cabin will be their counselors, and I’m sure the same cooks will be there.

Play.

For now though, it’s fifth session. The most emotional of all the Warner-Tully weeks.

As camp comes to a close, I’ve decided to bring a little bit of the camp spirit back to the real world with me.

It’s time to push play on life, live for the moment and have fun.

Sure, I’m not doing to ropes course every day or speeding down the mud slide, but I can keep the same, simple camp mentality.