Is It Necessary?

During Pre-Camp staff bonding day, the entire men's and women's staff came together for a team-building exercise in the pine forest. The exercise was simple enough--fourteen members of the staff were to scare a fifteen-foot wall using only their bodies to hoist and lift one another over. The rest of us were to watch. The catch--everyone was to be silent. The release--you could speak one time. Everyone was handed a speaking coupon with one of these questions on it:

Is it true?
Is it helpful?
Is it inspiring?
Is it kind?
And, finally, Is it necessary?

You could use your coupon once to say thing as long as it affirmatively answered the question it asked. I was given the last question. Necessary.

As counselors squatted and pulled and pushed and threw their legs over the wall we would pause every so often to hear something inspiring, a helpful piece of advice, a true memo of something worth nothing. I stayed silent, staring down at my question. There were many times I had something uplifting to share with the group, but they weren't particularly down-trodden. There were times I had a tip, but they figured it out without my words. Is it necessary? Is it necessary?

I never used my coupon. I just couldn't justify my voice.

As a good metaphorical activity should, I've kept this experience in my front pocket during this first week of camp. I want to tell the girls in the bathhouse the breakfast bell rings in one minute--they need to scoot. But I suppose they will do what they will. put my toothbrush away. I walk outside, flip flops soaking in morning dew. I want to tell the 4th grader the waves sound extra big today as we make our way down the beach stairs. is it necessary. I let the waves do the talking. Last night I looked out my bedside window in my head counselor cabin. The oldest girl's lights were still on at 10:25 PM. I pulled back my wool blanket, ready to tell them Enough. Good night. But I thought of my question, pulled the covers up again, kept reading Viola Spolin. The cabin went dark in five minutes.

I wonder long and hard about this question. Two years ago I spent most of my meals with a trips counselor who loves the earth. I frequently jabbed her on this point--she loves the earth and preaches recycling but ate meat. These two don't go, I joked (not a joke). At the end of the summer, she still ate meat. But, this summer, she doesn't. And hasn't. For over a year. Is it necessary?