Retreat

I just spent a 48 hour retreat alone in a cabin at Cedars of Peace at the Sisters of Loretto in Nerinx, KY.
Thank God for cell phones and friends that text and leave messages, allowing my solitude to not feel like isolation.
Here's a few things I discovered while gone:

• I stayed in wonder, yet hope was visible just outside my door. Seriously, "Wonder" was the name of my cabin and was nestled just behind "Hope"; which of course meant to me that hope is just ahead.
• I am not a country girl. As I wandered down the gravel road, I kept noticing corn cobs strewn about. I immediately thought how sweet it was for the sisters to feed the squirrels; as that's what we do in the city, buy dried corn on the cob to feed the squirrels. I had already marvelled at the massive corn field just to my left that had already been cut down for the season. It did eventually occur to me that is where the corn cobs had come from.
• Ants can eat a butterfly alive. It was a sad sight for me. I tried to intervene, but it was already looking a little too late for the butterfly. I cried.
• I witnessed a pair of dragonflies playing by the lake, skimming the water for dinner. Then, suddenly one became trapped in some algae funk and was unable to fly away. You can maybe imagine the loud bzzzing that was occurring as the dragonfly flailed about trying to escape the vegetation's death grip. I was able to relieve my butterfly guilt and rescue the most beautiful green dragonfly I have ever seen as its playmate buzzed about frantically watching the entire episode. I also let the picture of the day escape me as a result. I was stalking a green heron in hopes of capturing a photo of his winged departure. He flew away while I was putting on my super hero cape.
• A troupe of deer make less noise in the woods than a single squirrel. I find that fascinating.
• Twin beds are indeed much smaller than my king size bed at home. I rolled over to grab my phone to receive a text... and rolled off the bed and onto the floor, where I stayed laughing wildly for a bit.
• The number one can represent loneliness or it can represent one-ness with all and connected-ness and therefore not alone at all.

I went to the woods seeking

solitude, comfort and peace

I entered the woods fearing

Isolation, pain and despair

I steeped in the woods soaking in

Wonder, hope and joy

I left the woods feeling

Love, peace and connection

I come away renewed, refreshed and resurrected

My mind, my spirit and my soul.