I was a little girl when I was first introduced to warm fuzzies.  Attending a Girl Guide/Scout camp, we were huddled around the campfire late one night listening as our leader told us about the magic inside the bag she carried.  I’ll never forget the moment when I reached in my hand, fingers outstretched, excitement coursing through me to touch for the very first time my warm fuzzy.

Years later, I was the leader of that very same group, but the times had changed.  Some of the kids in my group were from families struggling to make ends meet, some had social problems, others were considered bad kids and some were wallflowers, too shy to speak in group situations.  We had our hands full, and yet adapted and modified the program to learn and bring out the strengths of each of the children.

That year we attended camp I was searching deep in the cupboards for something and came across the warm fuzzy bag.  I reverently held it in my hands and remembered the feelings and joy the night the warm fuzzy was mine.  Deciding it was the perfect year to introduce it to my kids, I prepared the warm fuzzy bag and took it to camp.

Our camps were always are most successful activity with the kids.  I was a very active and imaginative leader, while my other leader loved to do crafts and more traditional things.  Between us we kept the kids entertained, learning, and making friendships.  Kids who were too shy to speak in crowds were found giggling uncontrollably in their tents, hostilities forgotten amidst team challenges and searching for pirate treasure with obscure clues in the pouring rain made for loud laughter, huge tired smiles and outrageous stories.

The last night of our camp we had to have the campfire indoors, improvising by using our flashlights in the center of our large circle as if a massive fire pit, illuminating the girls faces.  We sang songs, childish harmonies blending well, bodies swaying or hands clapping along.  It was the perfect time to introduce the warm fuzzy and I brought the bag out of hiding and began its tale as the girls listened in complete silence, absorbing every word.

 The bag held inside a warm fuzzy for each and every one of the people at camp.  It was their warm fuzzy alone, and when they reached their hand in, the warm fuzzy would automatically go into their hand, matching up with what their heart speaks of the most.  Sometimes it would be one’s of happiness and love, sometimes it would be of strength or courage, but it would be a source of inspiration and every time they needed to feel hope or just to know that things were going to be alright, all they needed to do was hold onto that warm fuzzy and listen to their heart.