Page 56 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2023 - Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

FEAR &

ANXIETY?

THERE'S

HOPE

By Quency Light

food. As everyone was getting seated with full plates,
FEAR: I found a place to sit on one of the logs. Just as I was

Summertime in the getting settled, one of the counselors told me not
1960s brings back memories of a place outside of to move. I looked down at my feet and saw a giant
Crosbyton, Texas: Camp Rio Blanco. It was my tarantula! I have never moved faster! Food went
parents’ idea for my sister, Nesha, and me to spend flying. Supper was over for me. The definition of fear
two weeks in big army tents with a bunch of girls is “an unpleasant emotion caused by an awareness of
whom we didn’t know, learning camping skills and imminent danger, a reason for alarm.” Fear sees an
taking orders from counselors who were only a few actual threat. Fear was definitely the emotion I was
years older than we were. I saw it as an opportunity feeling at the moment.
to get out of hoeing cotton. It taught me that I
could get through anything if I set my mind to it. I
reminded myself, “Two weeks is not forever! Chill ANXIETY:
out!” Our scheduled time at camp mostly consisted
of craft time, swimming, hiking, dining room duty, I grew up on a farm in Earth, Texas. There is a lot
flag ceremonies, and, of course, free time. One year, involved in producing a crop of cotton. The land
our counselors decided an overnight campout would must be prepared. Fertilizer and weed control
be a good experience for the group. After hiking chemicals are added to the soil. Decisions about
through mesquite trees, cactus, and other shrubs and when to plant must be made. Seeds are planted.
weeds, we arrived at the campsite. It was obvious the During the growing season, crops must be kept free
site had been set up previously because there was of weeds, insects, and disease. If there is no rain, the
a firepit in the middle of a circle of logs which were fields need to be irrigated. While irrigation allows a
not native to the land we had just hiked over. We farmer some control over the growth of a crop, rain
set up our small tents and started a fire to cook our is the best way to water a crop; but too much rain can

56 Lubbock Senior Link