Last full day of retreat

Post by Rev. Sharon Wylie, SpiritRest Coordinator

Each day at SpiritRest has its own life, its own story, its own challenges. Thursday is the day of deepest silence, as retreatants' inner voices have slowed, and they have grown accustomed, at last, to not talking.

It is also the day when we start to look ahead to leaving. Retreatants are making lists of the things they want to remember, the practices they want to try back at home.

Now every moment feels precious. The gift of this place, the greenery, the beautiful roses. The puzzle sits completed, a testament to our communal efforts. Handwritten notes and charts from teaching sessions hang on the walls of our retreat room, evidence of our learning together. Thousands of magazine clippings are scattered across tables, in case anyone wants to make one more collage. Retreatants hurry to the labyrinth for one last walk.

Next dinner, then silent Qi gong, then singing at the labyrinth, then vespers. Tomorrow after breakfast we will start talking again, to process the week's experiences.

I am always eager for Friday morning, to hear what people's weeks have been like. It is a strange thing to be in community together for five days, and yet to know each other so little. We will remember to wear name tags tomorrow, because after almost a week of silence, we don't know each other's names.