Hiking Amongst Trees, Wildflowers, and a Breathtaking Waterfall
The off-site hike was my favorite part of this year’s Camp Sunnah. We boarded the van to the campsite and had lunch prior to the hike. It was steep, with bumps and rocks and the twisted roots of trees, but it was very rewarding Alhumdulillah!
Imagine pushing yourself as you walk higher and higher up the hiking path, surrounded by the mist of the approaching waterfall. You stop for a bit on the way to admire and run your hands through the cold, clear and fresh water tumbling down from the rocks.
You marvel at the different-shaped stones, maybe even pocket a few because of their unique shape! You’re unable to hold back a smile because pushing yourself is worth it when you realize the reward – in this case, a spectacular waterfall surrounded by rocks covered in bright green moss and all sorts of wildflowers and plants. Here’s one that’s purple, the white ones are your favorite, and – something that looks like a tiny pineapple? – flowers everywhere!
The best part was the rain at the end. As we hiked back to the vans, it started raining – first, a light shower, then, it was pouring. Yet here I was, hood of my rain jacket pulled up, not wondering about the time or place – I was too interested in a conversation with another sister and before I knew it, we reached the van. We were all so tired yet felt so content with the experience. I couldn’t believe it – tomorrow we would be heading back home…
Heading Home
The last day of camp was hectic but slow – slow in the sense that we didn’t want to really leave this precious experience behind.
We started the morning with the award ceremonies and some powerful reflections on our experience. Yes, after we left, the campsite would be… empty – but did that mean we forgot everything we learned? Certainly not! If anything, now was the time to step up and be determined to create the change we needed to see in ourselves and our communities.
We packed our bags, double – no, triple-checked the dorms, and made sure everything was ready to go. I crowded with the sisters, talking like everything was normal but knowing we’d have to say our goodbyes eventually. And we did – those bittersweet farewells will stay with me a long time, but they remind me that whether together or apart, we should always be making du’a for each other and fervently working towards pleasing our Rab.
As the sisters’ leads have reminded us of each Camp Sunnah, we meet and depart for the sake of Allah (SWT). I am truly reminded of this every time we part at Camp Sunnah, but it is a humbling and blessed reminder. I am truly grateful for every opportunity Allah has blessed me with to be a part of this.
Even as we got into the van and drove past the mountains, I felt such a sense of being awakened – realizing something that needs to change within me.
Here, dear reader, is where I finish my entry (with yet another entry). What I have written here is only a light description of what we experienced this year at Camp Sunnah. If you attended the camp this year, you might be wondering, you missed the creative reminders and challenges! What about the tug-of-war, the LHP sessions, and that one fill-in-the-blank that didn’t make any sense…?
Well, perhaps that’s your sign to prepare yourself and come to the next Camp Sunnah, inshaAllah. What are you waiting for? There are some things that can only be described so much!
I’ll end off with something I wrote in my journal 20 minutes after we left the campsite:
The mountain view here is beautiful, foggy air and gentle rain everywhere. One thing I’ve learned about this year [at Camp Sunnah], or perhaps a theme – is that we need to crush our ego, break our nafs, push ourselves to the breaking point because we need to TRY. We need to take what we learned and implement it, inshaAllah. It’s going to be busy; da’wah, work, halaqat, and making time for family and hobbies. It means taking care of my health and not compartmentalizing my deen, rather having everything from an Islamic perspective; if I keep this, it’s enough for me and will take me above and beyond, inshaAllah.
Alas, I know it will be a busy but blessed time. I can use this long drive as a means for rest, reflection and planning to achieve my goals. InshaAllah, I’m excited for what comes next. It’s that same energy of waking up early for a day of Camp Sunnah, running on 4 hours of sleep, but very excited to start the day because it evolves around pleasing Allah.
