A few days before I attend a spiritual retreat my mom relayed to me a conversation she had with my brother on the topic of retreats. Rather tongue in cheek he informed her that at his church only the women retreat, when the men get together they “ advance”. This stayed on my mind during my weekend retreat as I considered what it meant to retreat.
When used as a verb dictionary.com states that to retreat is an act of withdrawal, often used in military terms either as a forced withdrawal or a strategic tactic. As a noun it is a place of quiet and solitude often used for prayer.
My brother’s play on words about not retreating always advancing reminds of someone who will continue driving for hours instead of stopping to ask for directions. In the end, who finds their way with more ease and grace, the person who pushed ahead stumbling blindly trying to find the path? Or the person who stopped to considered where they were going and how to get there? For me taking time for retreat, whether a few moments of meditation or a weekend at the beach, is about taking time to reflect on where my life is going and if it is the direction I want to take. Only by making the time to retreat out of my everyday business into a space of quiet reflection can I hope to advance in a meaningful direction.
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