HMI Traverse
The other night after Circle Sylvia said “Guys do we actually know each other? Like I wish you could see me at home.” I jokingly responded that I was pretty sure I didn’t want to know any of your better than I do. While what I said is mostly false there’s some part of it that is true.
When we arrived to the HMI campus, everything seemed weird. I kept thinking it was odd that I was living out of a garage with 40 random people, but everyone else seemed to be fine with it, so I was too. Nothing felt remotely like anything I’d ever done before, until we sat down for one of the first times as a Traverse community and talked about school rules. During this meeting, Becca handed us a blank sheet of paper. She described how the environment HMI created for us was one in which none of us had any preconceived knowledge of each other, a fresh start for us all.
We got to know each other better, but not our normal selves. David was a hitman. Griffin was a bodyguard and Kelsey was the princess. Our old lives were left behind a new habits performed. It didn’t matter that on December 10 Nicholas had to go back to the North Pole and Sylvia the second floor boys bathroom. It didn’t matter that Yari has a stash of street white Air Force ones in her basement. It didn’t matter the zipper Jesus goes away on December 10 or the Sam goes back to playing in the dirt and Gabi trespassing and her friends pools. All that mattered was that we fed each other, took care of each other and kept each other in check. We grew along the way in ways we weren’t expecting– smelled in ways, we’ve never smelled before, and slowly our community was formed.
As we got better at our every day tasks, time started to fly by. We ate fewer and fewer burnt meals and started to be on time more and more. Through the canyons I continued to form, unique friendships, and bonds with all of you, got a lot faster at packing my backpack, and was able to focus on new areas of learning and growth. Through leadership and Environmental Science, I felt a web of connections forming with the people, land, objects and animals. The curiosity we came with allowed us to fully engage with the landscapes we have been to, always observing and questioning.
Then came St. George, and with it more climbing, a massive rash and shop, and the unknowingness of SPE. As my and our climbing skills progressed further, I found myself so peaceful and challenged during our climbing days, I often forgot my basic needs of food and water. As climbing camp went on, questions about the upcoming expedition started to form and answers were on their way.
When Kelsey and I became SEL, the questions were slowly, but surely answered. After lots of planning and conversations with the I Team we had an expedition, and one that would hopefully give the whole group a chance to demonstrate their strength and independence. We all eventually made it out of the back country mostly unscathed and facing a flight home in the morning.
As I board my flight tomorrow and think about how I have grown I will have a few principle things I hope will stick with me forever:
- Everyone has their strengths. Groups, teams and communities thrive when every member is able to fill in for each other’s weaknesses. By the end of this semester we are functioning as one, and thinking back to the Sawatch when half of us couldn’t get out of bed. It’s been awesome to watch our progress.
- Taking time for yourself is important. In order to live a sustainable life you must take time for yourself and if you do if you do set aside time for yourself, you can do much more with the rest of your day.
- Lastly, nature is cool, and whatever form you interact with it in, it will always be irreplaceable.
