Skidding into retreat

It’s a full week, this annual retreat. I think it can more accurately be described as a friend reunion. The ‘teacher’ is one of the friends. I anticipate this week deeply, look forward to the conversations, the meditations, the quiet time, the daily walks and whatever else I feel like doing or not doing. I look forward to three meals a day that I don’t have to create. And I love the exhale.

But…the first day of retreat resembled chaos, for me anyway.

It looked a bit like me skidding into the retreat center 10 minutes before dinner was over, stumbling up to my room with my backpack and two bags, scoffing down a quick bite and then running on tip toes to the sanctuary where our first meditation was about to begin. During that hour and a half of silence my mind bounced all over the walls as I wondered about the dogs and the dog-sitter, and Dennis. And I peeped around to see where Muriel was sitting. I was definitely not ‘zenning’. Afterwards I went up to my room to unpack and make my bed, and then tried unsuccessfully to watch Game of Thrones. Sleep eventually fell on me.

So that was Sunday, today is Tuesday. In such a short space of time there have been tears, laughter, deep conversations as well as times of having nothing to say. I’ve enjoyed two hikes and driven into town in search of a hairdresser, managing to get a speeding ticket on the way back. And yes, there has been the quieting.

It’s so perfect. Welcome to retreat!