Gaurd Your Tongue

My boys recently attended a week ong 1/2-day horseback camp. I carefully selected it as I wanted them to attend a camp where they would learn a new skill. I also think that spending time in a barn and with animals is good for the body, mind and soul. So off we trek to our 5 day camp.
Day 1: I drop them off amongst the muck and manure and few well groomed horsed and ponies. I then head to Starbucks to get some work done  (I work from home and for that day from Starbucks). Upon picking them up (and I am excited to hear about their horseback adventures), I ask them how their day was.  They tell me (in as much as 8 year old boys express themselves) that today was "orientation day" and they did not ride; but they did shovel manure, wash a horse, learn about its parts and eat lunch amongst some mice and rats. OK, so I'm a little disappointed with the no-ride day, but I figure I'll let this pass. I'm happy for the rat and mice experience and glad it was not on my time.

Day 3 and 4: I drop them off and head home to work. These 2 days they ride a little but included in that is some bareback riding, which sound awfully cool to me, or too lazy to saddle the horses. I mean beginner bareback? But OK, at least they got on the horse.

Day 4: It is raining at night but stops before camp starts. They do not ride this day as the ground is wet. What? horses and mud go together. I grew up at a camp and we rode unless it was lightning and I even remember riding in some of that if we had started out with just a little rain. Pleeeeeeessseeee!!!

Day 5 (and this is our final day): I ask the head counselor, who is not around at the drop off... and I wait for her, whether they will ride. She tells me that depends on the ground. I explain to her that we have paid quite a bit for "riding". She says she does not want the campers to get hurt. I say "in mud?" The horses are walking in a ring. No tricks. No galloping. Just walking. I think they can handle a little mud. I call the owner of the camp. I tell her how much my boys are enjoying the camp, but am slightly disappointed with the lack of riding time and would it be possible for them to ride today. She assures me that they will ride today. I show up with camera in hand and record the "riding show."All is good.

So why am I telling you all of this. Because as Jews, and my boys look and dress VERY Jewish (according to the Torah), we have to be extra cautious, even when we feel cheated or annoyed. I really wanted to give the camp a lesson in camping customer service, but I couldn't in the way I wanted to. We might have been the only religious Jews this stable had ever seen. So we tread cautiously. We always tread cautiously. It is ingrained in us to do so. One bad mishap can spread a long way toward our demise and one good experience can do the reverse. Perhaps my expectations of camp were too high and perhaps I need to look elsewhere. Either way, this won't be the first or last time I will have to tread cautiously with the way I speak.

Next week we will be at a religious camp. My expectations are set low, but I'm sure I will have plenty to say.