Ch-ch-changes...

Last night was a big night for me. It was my first real opportunity to be chief of the Arapahoe Nation and what an experience it was. This was my fifth Fall Outing at Camp Kanata - and my how has my view changed!

That first year, Shooting Bull and I shuffled through the crunchy Fall leaves as we made our way, quietly, among the torches. We sat way in the back of the lakeside amphitheater with Ridge on my lap to make room for the huge crowd that followed. My heart leaped from my chest as the bonfire started with a huge "BOOM!" and fluttered as the echo dance across the lake and off into the darkness. While the air was quite chilly that evening, we were all warmed by the hugs and smiles we exchanged as we promised to be better people for each other and committed to the program.

Last night, I sat in the darkness on the opposite side of the lake with Shooting Bull and Sky Walker. We sat in a canoe (with Brown Bear as our paddler) for what seemed like an hour, waiting for the first year tribes to make their way down to the lake. We chatted about all sorts of Guides stories and memories of Fall Outings past. We could hear the faint murmurs and laughs from across the lake - then all went silent. Off in the distance we heard the call of the drum, signaling the start of the procession. We fell silent ourselves as we watched the flames of homemade torches flicker in the water's reflection. Our silence was shattered by our own laughter as a huge fish decided to leap out of the water inches from the canoe, splashing and scaring us all with a surprise visit.

After all the tribes were seated the lights went out and the music began to call to us. Archers fired flaming arrows into the water and I lit my torch as Brown Bear paddled us toward shore. I could barely see anything in front of us due to the brightness of the torch, but I could sense the eyes of all the Little Princesses upon us as we approached. The music ended just as I made the shore. Out-going chief, Red Cloud, called out for the bonfire to begin and I pointed my torch toward the pile of logs and - "BOOM!" - my heart leaped from chest again, just as it had done so many times before.

I guess some things do change, but at the heart of it all, it's all just the same. We rededicate ourselves to one another each year by this bonfire and bask in the warmth of each others hugs and smiles.

How-How!