Last week I fell in love with 150 people.

My heart now belongs to a group comprised of countless races and religions, boys and girls, gay and straight, big and small, from Danville and Redding and everywhere in between. Specifically, they were the lucky few teens who had the honor of attending Camp Royal, a Rotary-sponsored leadership training program for upcoming high school seniors.

We met on Sunday as total strangers, but six days later we parted as lifelong friends. We have shared an experience that none of us will ever forget.

Not to worry, this isn’t another Jonestown; I haven’t joined some kind of creepy cult. But I have, in a way, been brainwashed — my brain has been washed clean of prejudices and inhibitions, and I feel completely changed for the better.

At the Bar 717 Ranch in Trinity County, a beautifully pristine place isolated from reality, campers had the rare opportunity to forget everyday distractions and focus on “catching ourselves being ourselves.”

Chau Yoder, a small woman with a big heart, taught us to breathe deeply and practice “mindful living.” She reminded us that leadership is about compassion and respect.

Lain Hensley, a philanthropic mentor, guided us through bonding exercises in which we looked into each other’s eyes and ignored the superficial boundaries that so often separate people. We learned to say, “Tashi deley,” a Tibetan greeting that means, “I honor the greatness in you. I honor the place where lives your courage, honor, love, hope and dreams.”

For me, the most powerful moments happened when we reached "the Wall." What looked like an ordinary piece of wood became so much more when it took on the symbolism of our deepest fears and seemingly insuperable obstacles.

We each summoned the courage to approach that wall. Some of us shared stories that had never been told before. All of us hugged and cried. We physically lifted each and every person over the wall, embodying the hope and encouragement that everyone needs to help them face their challenges in life.

We opened up and trusted each other, and the results were simply unbelievable. I have never before witnessed that kind of selfless, unconditional love and support.

I know that it all sounds too cliché to be real. But I have never felt anything so real. It is so hard to explain in words to people who weren’t there, but I hope that I can lead by example. I know that I will carry what I learned at Camp Royal with me for the rest of my life.

I am forever grateful to Rotary District 5160 for sending me to Camp Royal and to the wonderful people I met there, for inspiring me to be a stronger, more compassionate, and more genuine person.