4/11/17
Yesterday was the final ‘element’ focus, and the culmination of the retreat. We went to explore the Wildlife Rescue Center. We saw many animals that have been brought to the center for rehab of some sort, and are being nurtured to eventually return to the wild. Many volunteers from all over the world and generous donations from contributors make this work possible. The bonds the workers and volunteers make with the animals is absolutely amazing to witness.
At the end of the night, we wound down with a brief meditation and a pleasant dinner cooked by one of the local cooks, Victor. It was delicious and I found out the secret to making great guacamole is extra lemon! And though I’m generally against deep frying, I enjoyed some amazing fried plantain chips with the guac.
After dinner we sat around the [cleaned] table and reminisced about the retreat. We all got to know one another pretty intimately in the span of a week. When we arrived, most of us were strangers, who just knew one woman each – Vanessa, the organizer and spark of the retreat. There were a few people who knew one another prior to the trip, but their ties didn’t hold them back from making friends with everyone else. We will leave knowing one another, and ourselves, a lot better than when we came. We enjoyed the nature together, expressed our feelings and desires, and supported one another. We helped clean and cook, and that always creates a feeling of family. As we sat, I couldn’t help but think we are sitting like on the painting of ‘The Last Supper.’ For our sake, I hope it doesn’t end here – I hope we keep in touch and continue to expand our newfound family.
