Holding Two Feelings at Once
August 6, 2026
As we close our inaugural summer at Camp Eastwood, I’ve found myself sitting with a lot of mixed emotions.
I’m incredibly proud of what Lauren & I have built. I’m also tired. I’m excited to head home to Denver. I’m already missing camp and Maine.
Those feelings don’t cancel each other out. In fact, they reminded me of a concept I often share with our staff during orientation: two things can be true at once.
Thanks to my background in teaching and counseling, years spent in the camp world, and living with a psychologist, this idea has become one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned. It’s something I use almost daily with campers, something I remind our staff of, something I talk about with my own kids, and something I come back to whenever I’m struggling.
We spend so much time trying to decide how we should feel, when the reality is that life is rarely that simple.
At camp, I see this all the time. A camper can love camp and miss home.
A counselor can be having the hardest summer of their life and know they’re growing because of it. This can be the most exhausting job and the most rewarding one you’ll ever have.
For me, I can deeply miss Somerset and know that coming to Eastwood was absolutely the right decision.
And right now, as we wrap up our very first summer, I can be ready for a break and wish this season wasn’t ending. I can be grateful for every moment and desperately need a good night’s sleep.
One of the greatest gifts camp gives us is permission to feel all of those things without having to choose just one.
Sometimes we tell ourselves, “If I’m sad, I must not be grateful.” Or, “If I’m excited for what’s next, maybe this didn’t matter as much.” But emotions aren’t a competition. They don’t have to replace one another. They can sit side by side.
I’ve watched campers cry because they miss home while laughing with their cabin five minutes later.
I’ve watched staff count down the days until they can sleep in their own bed, only to cry as they drive out the camp gate. That’s not confusion.
That’s what it looks like when something matters.
As Eastwood’s first summer comes to an end, I’m choosing to make room for all of it.
The pride. The gratitude. The exhaustion. The excitement for home. The sadness that it’s over.
Because two things can be true at once.
And maybe that’s one of the most important lessons camp teaches us, not just for the summer, but for life.
Stacey spent over 20 years as an educator and coach at every school level. A former three-sport college athlete, she also earned numerous degrees in education and counseling. Her camp director journey began as a Unit Leader at Camp Manitou and evolved into helping with the creation of Camp Somerset in leadership roles, including Head of Athletics, before becoming Associate Director. She is looking forward to bringing this experience she shares with Lauren, as a Director at Camp Eastwood.