Has it really been three years since I experienced Kairos for the first time? Has it really been two years since I last experienced Kairos? I'm having an extremely difficult time believing that. Damn, time really does fly.
I don't have any problem remembering how Kairos XI went. Kairos is not really something one could simply forget. During my first retreat in my junior year, my eyes opened and I was brave enough to take my mask off. I was no longer afraid to show who I was to anyone. It was important for me to realize that God, my family, my friends, Dominican High School, and even complete strangers had my back. I also learned to love others for who they are. I can't possibly know what goes on in the lives of every single person in the world, but I can support them. I can love them.
I helped lead Kairos XII in my senior year a few months later. During the many weeks leading up to the retreat, I half-assed my own obligations because I thought I knew what to expect. It was only three weeks before the retreat that I realized how ill-prepared I truly was. It was the first time that I understood the notion that no one Kairos experience is the same as the other. I suddenly became nervous and excited in anticipation for the event that would change the lives of so many young people.
Kairos XII taught me how to remain confident in the face of overwhelming anxiety. I remembered that my objective as a leader was not to enforce any rules, but rather to guide and support the juniors in their retreat. Kairos XII was not for me or the other leaders; it was for the juniors.
A lot has happened since Kairos XII in my senior year, and I have done my absolute best to express my appreciation. I am spreading as much positive energy as I possibly can. I am working as hard as I possibly can to be the successful person I want myself to be. I am doing what you have asked me to do: living the fourth. I am reminded of my mission on a daily basis when I wear one of the two crosses you have given me.
The lessons I have learned from Kairos XI and Kairos XII will stay with me for the rest of my life. Whenever I am presented with a challenge and I can't seem to overcome any obstacles, I will always open the letters I have kept from both retreats. I have had to it on many occasions. Sometimes I have to be reminded that I am beautiful, I am worth it and, most importantly, I am loved.
I will forever be grateful for those letters, the hugs, and the powerful emotions I felt. Every life needs to be valued, and every life has to feel valued. Thank you Kairos XI and Kairos XII for transforming me into the man I have always wanted to become.
#LT4
