Too often in life, we run from one event to the next or from one crisis to the next without taking the time to reflect on what happened and how we are changing and growing as a result. Here at Retreat, Reflect, Renew, our retreat season is like a school year, running from September through June. My intention with these reflections is to create a journey for you throughout the season.

You may think you don’t have time for this kind of thing. Speaking strictly as an adult, you probably do not, and that is entirely the point of the exercise.

Work hard, serve, do your duty, sacrifice. Know your mission, purpose, and influence. These are words and phrases I remember hearing a lot about from childhood through adulthood.

I have always been one who never wanted to miss anything. Anything fun, that is, even going so far as to create a system for myself so that I wouldn’t miss anything.

I invite you to connect with the God of Play. Try skipping, humming, dancing, singing, even daydreaming, and invite God into those moments with you. Invite God into your laughter as a way of recognizing the joy in the ordinary and accepting the imperfections of life.