GreatLIFE Community,
TRADITIONS!
Last month marked the 10th annual camping trip with eight other families. In many ways, very little has changed. We still camp in the same place, hike the same trails, sit around the same campfire, and make the same s’mores.
But in every other way, everything has changed.
Ten years ago, there were just a handful of young kids running around camp. Today, there are nearly two dozen children ranging from one to fifteen years old. Those little legs that once struggled to keep up now lead the hikes. The kids who once needed help making a sandwich are now helping prepare meals. The marshmallows they once begged us to roast are now being made for the parents.
Life has changed, but for one weekend each summer, it somehow feels wonderfully simple again.
No electronics. No schedules. No rushing from one activity to the next. Just hikes, conversations, games, campfires, and time with people who have become more like family than friends.
On our last evening together, we had our annual balloon game set up and were just beginning to settle in for one final campfire and s’mores when we noticed an incredible lightning show off in the distance.
Within minutes, the wind picked up.
Then came the rain.
We scrambled to secure the tables, chairs, and anything else that wasn’t tied down before the heart of the storm arrived. Our carefully planned evening disappeared in a matter of minutes.
Or so we thought.
The boys couldn’t wait to run outside and play in the downpour. Meanwhile, the girls turned the cabin into a concert hall, singing and dancing at the top of their lungs as the rain pounded on the roof.
The campfire never happened.
The s’mores were postponed.
The schedule was gone.
The memories weren’t.
The next morning, I woke up before everyone else and walked around camp, taking inventory of what the storm had left behind. As I looked around, I realized something…
Ten years of traditions are incredibly valuable, not because every year goes according to plan, but because those traditions create opportunities to be together when life doesn’t.
The kids won’t remember a perfectly cooked meal or whether we sat around the campfire that night. They’ll remember sprinting through the rain with their friends. They’ll remember laughing until they couldn’t breathe while dancing in a tiny cabin during a thunderstorm.
Those are the stories they’ll tell years from now.
It reminded me that while traditions are important, they aren’t the destination.
They’re the foundation.
Traditions create the space where relationships grow, resilience is learned, and unexpected moments become unforgettable memories.
The same is true in our families, our friendships, and even our workplaces. We build routines, meetings, celebrations, and annual events because consistency matters. But sometimes the moments that strengthen us the most are the ones we never planned…the challenges that require us to adapt, laugh together, and make the best of circumstances we didn’t choose.
I don’t know how many more years this camping trip will continue. Kids will grow up. Schedules will become fuller. Life will continue to change. But I do know this…
The older I get, the less I believe life is about executing the perfect plan. It’s about being fully present with the people around you, embracing the unexpected, and realizing that sometimes the storm creates a better story than the campfire ever could.
As you head into the final weeks of summer, I hope you’ll make time to protect the traditions that matter most. They don’t have to be elaborate. They simply need to bring people together.
Because years from now, no one will remember whether everything went according to plan.
They’ll remember who was there.
And the memories you created together.
Around GreatLIFE:
Construction Season is Here!
There’s never a “good” time to tackle construction or maintenance projects, but we figured we’d join our amazing road crews and take part in construction season as well. 😉
Over the next several weeks, you’ll notice improvement projects taking place across several of our GreatLIFE properties. While these projects may create a few temporary inconveniences, they’ll provide long-term improvements to your experience.
Here’s a look at what’s ahead:
- Central Valley Golf Course – We’re improving drainage along Hole #2 while beginning the first phase of a multi-year cart path project throughout the course. These improvements will enhance playability and course conditions for years to come.
- Rocky Run Golf Course – Construction continues on the new green at Hole #1, and we’re excited to get it completed and open for play.
- Willow Run Fitness Center – Beginning in late August, we’ll be installing new rubber flooring throughout the free weight area. This space will be modified for approximately one month as the project is completed.
- 69th & Minnesota Fitness Center – Later this month, we’ll be replacing the carpet and main walkways with new rubber flooring. Portions of the club will be impacted for approximately one week during construction.
- Woodlake & Avera Pools – Both pools will close for their annual maintenance near early September. To minimize disruption, these closures will be staggered so members will continue to have access to one of the two pools throughout the maintenance period.
We don’t have exact dates finalized for every project just yet, but we’ll keep you informed every step of the way through email updates, social media, our website, and in-club signage.
Thank you, as always, for your patience and flexibility as we continue investing in our facilities. While construction can create temporary inconveniences, these projects help ensure GreatLIFE continues to provide the quality experience you’ve come to expect. We appreciate your support as we work to make GreatLIFE even better!
BOOK CLUB:
This month’s book, The Dichotomy of Leadership, is a reminder that leadership is rarely about choosing between two extremes but rather about finding the right balance. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin challenge the idea that great leaders should always be decisive, aggressive, humble, or empowering. Instead, they argue that effective leadership requires constantly navigating the tension between seemingly opposing qualities. Leaders must be confident yet humble, disciplined yet flexible, and willing to lead from the front while also stepping back to allow others to grow. Leadership isn’t about mastering a single style, instead it’s about knowing when each approach is needed.
Three Big Takeaways:
- Leadership Is a Balance, Not an Extreme- The best leaders avoid living at either end of the spectrum. They know when to take charge and when to delegate, when to challenge and when to encourage, and when to be firm versus when to extend grace. Leadership is about reading the situation and responding with balance.
- Own the Mission, Empower the Team- Leaders are ultimately responsible for results, but they don’t succeed by doing everything themselves. Great leaders set clear expectations, provide support, and then trust their people with meaningful ownership. Accountability and empowerment go hand in hand.
- Leadership Is a Daily Decision- Every day presents new situations that require a different balance. Some days your team needs direction. Other days they need encouragement. Sometimes they need accountability. Other times they simply need someone who believes in them. Great leadership isn’t about finding one style that works but about intentionally serving the people in front of you, one decision at a time. Leadership is built through the small, consistent decisions we make every single day.
NEXT MONTH’S BOOK:
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
A FINAL THOUGHT…
Life moves quickly.
The calendar fills up.
The kids grow older.
The seasons change.
Don’t let the pace of life keep you from experiencing it.
Protect the traditions.
Embrace the unexpected.
And never be too busy to create memories with the people who matter most.
To the journey,
Nick