Katherine Olson

When I arrived in Montana on May 31, I hoped this summer would help clarify for me my future plans in the theatre. As a Theatre and Hispanic Studies major with a strong social conscience, I often wonder how I can best serve. Will I live a life in the theatre? Will I go on to graduate school, conducting studies in Latin American theatre? Or will I do something completely different; yet call upon the training I've learned from my language studies and the theatre? While this summer didn't make clear to me the specific plans I will follow, it did set up three things I need in my life in order to live a life of service: a solid Christian community, time to rest, and faith that God has blessed me with the gifts to complete a task.

This summer confirmed for me that I need the support of a solid Christian community. While I often like to think that I am independent and self-determining, several times this summer I was reminded that I'm not. Various challenges humbled me to ask for help, such as when a child with severe ADHD and developmental problems caused dissent within my cabin. The advice and encouragement I received from my fellow counselors helped me to deal with what could have been a serious problem. I will never know everything (although sometimes I like to hope so), and I need the wisdom, love, and encouragement of a Christian community to guide and prod me to a life of service.

Secondly, in order to live a life of service, I must allow myself to rest. Sometimes this summer it felt like I never had a moment to breathe or to evaluate how the week was going. Instead I ran from one activity to the next, barely able to catch my bearings. Yet I found that I worked best when I was well rested and fed, intellectually and emotionally. It was a challenge on weekends to assert my need to sleep and have some alone time, but the weekends that I did that, I was more fully equipped to serve the children the following week. That rest and time for myself was essential.

On the flip side, most of the time I didn't get enough rest—either physically or psychologically. This often led to a sort of panic on my part that I would be unable to fulfill my duties to my fullest, that I would be a “bad counselor.” Yet this never became an issue. By the end of the weeks when I thought, “I am ready to burn out,” I always found out that the next week I'd be doing something new that would allow me to refresh and regroup. In this way, I've learned to dispel [most] of my fears that I am incapable of service. The task is more manageable than I assume. Also, God has blessed me with many gifts and talents, and I must trust that this is enough.

While this summer didn't necessarily clarify for me what my life of service will entail, it did help me establish what I need in order to live a life of service: a strong Christian community, time to rest, and faith that the tasks set for me are attainable.