And treat it has been – over and over and over again – silence, community, perfect July weather, abundant fresh food, laughter, self-care, tears, hands and hugs, power words, poems, laments, songs, skinny dipping . . .

As we gather our things to go our separate ways, to re-enter that other world we usually think of as ‘real’, it is my hope as facilitator that we each will take with us the memory of all this treating and re-treating of self, will take it seriously as a possible (and desirable) way of life. To treat our Selves as if we matter – which we do – even if/when we fail to act that way.

And so I offer you from this magical place and time a poem which emerged from one of our mirroring themes – hunger. And please share your comments, your own experiences of inner hunger, ways in which my words resonate (or do not!) with you.

Feeding our Hungers on Retreat

What shall we find in this place,
where hunger is banished at the first sip
of fragrant chai, cumin and garlic

transporting us to the Greek Isle
of our tastebuds; where the music
of bees buzzing in milkweed dances us

dizzyingly downhill, children curious
as we cavort through meadows
strewn with words, our hands clasped

across our lives. How shall we shelter
one another in our vulnerable vessel
of shadow and light, the ones we bring

forth from need and its filling? There are no words
for the hours that have flown, the breeze that has lifted
our veils to reveal our true hungers, fed in the sharing

of both bread and soul, communion’s sweet wine
lingering on our lips as we chant and sing
our rivers of words in passing harmonies.

 swb