My husband and I were very involved with a retreat program when we were first married, but since then I had sort of soured on retreats. It used to frustrate me when people from the retreat program would talk about needing another high. Sometimes retreats can emphasize group catharsis over The Way/The Truth/The Life, and really a person could just go to a rock concert if group catharsis is the goal.
This weekend, though, I found myself remembering our earlier retreat experiences so fondly -- all of the work and sacrifice from a crew of young adults who genuinely wanted the best for the retreatants. I've also been thinking about the re-entry question.
It's always a little tricky to come back from a retreat. The things that are so clear when you are unplugged with ample time to think get murkier in the scrum of real life. Some quick thoughts:
1. I think I need to spend less time knitting. It's hard to be present for my kids while I'm knitting, and I want to be present for the kids. I won't give it up; I'll just cut it down.
2. I think I am going to expend a little more time and a little less angst on meal prep. I am going to think about all of the times I approach the Eucharist with inadequate appreciation, and try not to sweat it when my efforts meet with an unenthusiastic reception.
3. I think I need to be more patient with teaching kids to get their chores done. If motherhood has taught me anything, it is that kids learn slowly. They didn't get out of diapers in a day; they won't get a routine down in a week. (ALAS.)
4. Life is full of vexing situations. A couple of doozies plopped themselves into my lap today. It is in the vexing situations that a person can most fruitfully take St. Teresa's advice: Let nothing disturb thee, nothing affright thee. (But I don't think that will prevent me from blogging about them. St. Teresa didn't say a WORD about blogging them.)
I wonder if your item 1 deserves some rethinking. Is it about the knitting? Or is the knitting serving some purpose in your life that you haven't fully identified?
I find myself playing computer solitaire a lot more than I probably should. It serves no one but me. I think it's about me needing some quiet alone time. Is there a way to satisfy my need for that time that isn't solitaire? I don't know. If you spend less time knitting how will that affect other parts of your day?
Posted by: Karen | April 17, 2014 at 12:52 PM
Awww... that's beautiful! I totally hear you on 2 and 4, although for me, because I anticipate lukewarm responses, I end up just NOT wanting to cook or not cooking which is not only sad, but irresponsible of my part! And tell me about patience with chores -- I don't have any! :(
Thanks for continuing to blog, I'm glad there are no words of advice against it! (it's so therapeutic, isn't it? I'm so GLAD, **always** that you're still blogging -- so many people just quit! You always make my day when you blog. Thank you, friend.
Oh, and RETREATS ARE THE BEST! I'm going to help organize one for the fall. We led (and I cooked, sometimes for 60+ people) five retreats while in college from 91-96. Ah, those were glorious days!
Posted by: L | April 18, 2014 at 06:56 AM