"Retreat"

The past days have been like a Sabbath.  It was truly amazing to watch the leaves turn from green to gold, orange and red – some days in sunshine and some days in rain.  Every day offered hours of quiet, walking remote roads, looking for four-legged critters, “seeing” with more attentive eyes (and the eye of my camera), watching the fire and reading.  Companionship, conversation and silence.  It’s been a good retreat.

Now that the leaves are brown, how can I take some of this retreat home with me?  How can it become a more regular part of my life?

I want to do what Donna Scharper suggests in her book SABBATH SENSE:

to knit back together what has been separated in work and play

to reunite doing and being

to refuse to let all time be the same time

A challenge for me is to greet each day early and with both enthusiasm and ritual.  That’s something I can do.  (And it’s something I can do while still honoring a decent bedtime!)

How do you “retreat” in your life?  Do you have a special day, or place or activity?

Are you able to count on a regular time?

Ruth Poochigian, O.P.

Madison WI