Seventeen

I traveled to a camp made for crazy Armenians drenched in their faith 5 hours away from my home. It was magnificent; every taste was beautiful, every afternoon shower felt like a heavenly water fall, the priests and deacons sang so wonderful, and nature seemed almost unrealistic. The stars in the sky looked like a jar of glitter had exploded. I searched for shooting stars every night.
I realized my faith in God that week; among the chirping of the birds and the many hymns that followed. Sleep was not a priority (one I would be deprived of by the 7th day leaving me grumpy and ready to leave). But as I fought through all the sickness, the sleep deprivation, and the hunger was a butterfly locked in a cage for the past 2 years. Her faith: destroyed. Her ethnicity: erased. Until she was released from dirty hands, spreading her wings, flapping them in ecstasy.
I found inspiration within those trees, love within those fields, wonder within those clouds. Nature seemed to bloom around my tiny feet.
Voluminous women with curves to die for, men with enough hair to wrap a petite animal. Armenians have such distinct features that I love. My eyes would wrap around their bodies, letting my wonder soak in and understand these people, these people who I am. I wanted to touch every single one of them as if they were my mother, father, brother, sister. I never missed my family while I was there because for a moment, for a week, these people were the only family I had; the family to save me, sculpt me, comfort me.
I cherished every moment of camp as if time was slowly slipping away and I had to savor it in my mouth, in my lungs, and in my heart. The water was beautiful, every time it would gallop into my water bottle or trickle down my neck. I felt thankful for everything given to me, ate every single inch of things on my plate until only centimeters of scraps were scarcely left.
The friends I made at camp will hopefully stay with me until the very end... The girls we raised for a week must always remember us, only for a moment if they will.