And I think that April 1st is probably the worst time to announce plans because no one believes you, right?
My small consolation in this is that somehow the time stamp on my blog is off…it’s set in, like, Philippines-time so by the time I publish on Tuesday evening this will show up like it was published Wednesday.
Whatever. We’re just going to go forward with this.
Here’s the skinny: a few months ago Father Ryan was like, “Hey, I’m hosting a retreat, it would be awesome if you could come!11!” and I was like, “El oh el, no, Colorado is a million miles away.”
But then, one fateful afternoon here in the sepia-toned city the snow WOULD NOT STOP and the cold WOULD NOT STOP and the grey WOULD NOT STOP so I called Father Ryan and breathed a desperate, “Uhmmmmm, do you have any other spots? On your retreat?”
And he said he did, so I said to hold it and I would decide after looking at flights. So I finished my commute and pulled one of our dining room chairs up to the computer in our living room and did some quick research. Now, I’ve taken a few trips in my day. I’ve organized a few, too. So, I know a good deal when I see it. A few hours later I contacted Father Ryan: I had purchased my flight. So, yeah. I leave Saturday and I’ll be back the next Saturday.
More info? Giiiiiiiiiiirl, you know I’m here to share! And in question-and-answer form…only, I’m the one providing both, so it’s a little lopsided, I’ll admit.
Who is this Father Ryan?
He’s a goober. But I don’t think he reads this here blahg, so that info stays. It was written the way you talk about your younger siblings and you say, “What rascals!” but, really, you love them.
We met on retreat maybe six years ago now? Maybe seven? He was a seminarian, I was somewhere in my collegiate experience. I remember thinking we could be friends, but then deciding if I started talking to him I would never stop. So, I just didn’t start…for three or four years. Honestly. And sometime in there he was ordained and I took a group of people to Spain and Italy and I walked my first Camino and we still attended retreats together and everything, I think.
The first New Years retreat after World Youth Day-Madrid we still didn’t really chat, even though he presented this act on the HISTORY OF SALVATION which was so PHENOM the sibs and I still imitate it and laugh these years later.
Where the heck is this pointless story going, right?? Here. It’s going here: we broached the subject of World Youth Day-Madrid and I was like, “So, what did God tell you?”
And I KID YOU NOT GOD HAD TOLD HIM THE SAME THING GOD HAD TOLD ME. Like, verbatim. And it was super weird and I probably yelled that, just like I wrote it in all-caps. And my suspicions were confirmed, since then I kind of haven’t stopped talking and yelling at Father Ryan, but he’s super cool and takes it all in stride. So, yeah.
Where are you going?
Actually, Father Ryan threw in a, “Oh, yeah, and you’ll probably get altitude sickness, take some medication” into my retreat-prep-talk. So, I was kind of excited but now I’m just kind of terrified.
Also: mountain lions.
Also: trouble breathing.
Oh geez.
What kind of retreat?
Silent, ya’ll. Pray for me.
Can you tell me a little more?
He also wrote something called the “Spiritual Exercises” which is a collection of his reflections and teachings.
One of the many, many opportunities for retreats/ reflections for Papist-folk is to take a thirty-day silent retreat based off of Ignatian Spirituality (branded because: St. Ignatius). You pray and read and reflect on inspirational talks given during this time. Or, so I’m told. I’ve never participated in such shenanigans. I’m still not going to, actually, this is an abridged version. Three days instead of thirty. Don’t judge.
What do you mean “silent”?
No talking. No music. No talking. No poetry-recitation. No conversations. No cell phones. No blogging. No internetz.
Basically, no distractions.
That sounds hard.
DOG TELL ME SOMETHING I DIDN’T KNOW.
So, why are you doing this?
I’m doing this because even though I’m bad at silence, I know it’s good for me.
How exactly is one “bad at silence”? Oh, I can break it down. Whenever I’ve been on retreat or mandated a silent hour on the Camino my mind will be like, “That person! Talk to them!” or “Look! Graffiti/ flowers/ a bird/ anything-that’s-distracting! Talk about it! Show someone else!” and I just want to sing songs and shout greetings every day of my life, anyway.
I’m an extroverted woman and I’m bad at silence.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t see the good in silence. I know that when I take the time to shut up all of the voices surrounding me I can really start to listen to what God says.
I know that God speaks in silence and that growth occurs silently–beebees in wombs and flowers in dirt and what not. And I look forward to that.
Didn’t you just go on retreat?
Yep. But, there will perpetually be a difference between attending a party and hosting a party, amirite? And I hosted that last one. My turn.
Will you be spending time in Colorado?
I’ve got a day on each side of the retreat, so I plan on checking out the sights.
Do you know about super cool restaurant/ super cool museum/ super cool store/ super cool other thing?
No. I really don’t know what I should do while I’m there so, please, fill me in. Keep in mind, though, I only have a few hours. 🙂
Do you want to meet my friend who is a super eligible young man?
My mom gave me two warnings about this trip:
- Don’t wear jeans (she doesn’t like them) and
- Don’t find a charmer and get married and move far away.
Cough.
Clothes! You’re going to document what you’re packing, right???
Probably. Even though there’s no way anyone is asking this in reality.
I blog, yo.
Speaking of blog, will there still be things for me to read while you’re away?
Hopefully. I just gotta get my act together.
