12:30: Lunch on the go
3:00: Return to camp, afternoon snack
3:30: Debriefing Circle
4:30: Sauna (optional), personal time, journaling
6:00: Dinner (Pavilion)
7:00: Campfire
I flip over the card.
CURRICULUM
Days 1–2: Get It Together
Days 3–4: Get Out of Here
Days 5–6: I Get You
Days 7–8: We’ve Got This
Days 9–10: Capstone river-running trip
Most of the guests tuck their cards into a pocket. Brent photographs it front and back, then stuffs both card and phone into a waterproof pouch with a shoelace-thin lanyard that will be killing his neck by Wednesday. Trevor and Petra huddle shoulder to shoulder, reading intently. They look fresh and eager. Younger than twenty-nine.
Or maybe it’s that I feel older than thirty-three. I once read a study showing that doctors’ DNA ages six years during their first year of training—too much stress, too little sleep—and that wasbeforethe pandemic. Maybe I’m grumpy because my brittle geriatric DNA wants everyone to get off my lawn.
Trevor’s hand shoots up. “Will there be additional printed material? Something more detailed, like your book?”
“Amazing question, Trevor. I don’t want people to be distracted by the future instead of staying in the present, so I’ll explain quickly now, then more as we go. I recommend you try to build anemotionalfoundation versus an intellectual one. The Love Boat is about exploring how youfeel. You feel me?” McHuge glances around, nodding wisely.
McHuge the public speaker is a tightrope walker: mystical, but not so far out that people feel uncomfortable; unique but recognizable; intelligent yet approachable. He’s managing to give every vibe anyone could possibly want while making the balancing act look easy. I think I’m the only one who wonders what would happen if he fell.
“What I love about the Love Boat is that we’re all seeking a higher plane of connection. As such, it’s important to anticipate highs and lows as we learn. A very typical pattern would be to start strong, feel great, love everyone, and bask in some beginner’s luck. That would be the ‘Get It Together’ phase.” He taps his card.
“After that first win, we might struggle as we take on bigger challenges. We’re still learning, but it can feel like we’re stuck or even losing ground. It’s very emotional. You might be tempted to blame your partner.”
“‘Get Outta Here,’” Lori supplies cheerily. “Mitch and I felt that way the entire first year of our son’s life. Luckily, we were too tired to research divorce lawyers.” Mitch reaches for Lori’s hand and squeezes, her brown cheeks flushing deep pink.
I’m calculating the over-under on when exactly I will be seeing Lori’s butt when I happen to glance over at Sloane. She’s sitting stiffly, a cardboard smile in place of her previous high-wattage grin. I was wrong about the universal intimacy of the arm around the shoulder thing, because Dereck’s arm hangs from her body like the physical embodiment of a recurring argument.
“Exactly, my friend,” McHuge says, giving Lori an appreciative nod. “That’s when journaling can be most transformative, so I may assign a reflection or two.
“The good news is there’s nowhere to go but up. At the I Get You level, you and your partner engage in deep relationship exploration. This stage is my favorite. Very, very spiritual and satisfying. And last, you’ll use that deep understanding to perform together: We’ve Got This.
“The highlight of the course is our overnight trip with loaded canoes. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited to camp out. Any questions?”
Brent raises his hand. He has a way of leading with his chest that reminds me of my neighbor’s rooster in Pendleton, strutting around the yard, crowing at all hours. “Would you credit the Love Boat’s curriculum for your quick engagement? Congratulations, by the way.”
McHuge looks at me, eyes wide. He wanted us to sit on opposite sides of the circle so the clients wouldn’t be up against a wall of instructors. Now we’re too far apart to coordinate a response.
“No,” I blurt, just as McHuge starts to say “Yes,” then panics and changes it to “Um.”
Brent frowns like he’s unearthed an interesting puzzle piece. “Yum…?”
“Inside joke. Off the record,” I say, fully talking out of my ass. I have no idea about journalism. “Let’s save the personalquestions for later. Right now, does anyone have concerns related to the curriculum?”