A thank you to Kairos.
Thank you to kairos for being everything I need and so much more. Thank you for having all of the rights things at exactly the right time. Thank you for saving me when I didn't even know I needed saving.
Kairos is much more than a retreat. The relationship, friendships and opportunities of this retreat opens the doors for so many people to embrace their full potential and relationships not only with God, but with their peers.
It's not easy to convince a bunch of 17-year-olds to go away to spend time with God for three days, but those who do reap the rewards for years to come. People from all walks of life come to the kairos retreat simply as a graduation requirement, but are astounded once they retreat is in action: The guy you didn't know lost his best friend to cancer or the girl who has been fighting an eating disorder feel called to share with their small group and the power of God is shining through and letting people's hesitations becoming inclinations to speak.
From sitting down to hear the first talk to the very last small group, walls are broken, doors are open and hearts let each other in. You find yourself not wanting to go grab your phone or check for the latest tweets because you would rather be speaking with your peers and learning about their lives. You may have never spoken to the people in your small groups before, but after, they are people you talk to on a daily basis. You spend your break time exploring the grounds and getting to know the kid you sat next to in math the last three years, to find out you have a lot more in common than you thought.
Kairos gives me hope for the future that people in different groups, social status or even sports teams can come together through their differences to see that no one has it perfect. Everyone has a story and you have no right to judge. We get so caught up in life that we forget to live and make relationships with people who are truly important.
Nothing bonds a group of people together like the leaders of each retreat barring their souls to their peers and hoping that they will be responsive. The endless hours or planning and preparation that goes into each retreat embodies the importance of Kairos in the life of young Catholic teenagers. The vulnerability and willingness to share allows new friendships to be formed and a general understanding that everyone comes from somewhere.
I had no idea kairos would have such an impact on my life. Living the fourth is a lifestyle that one must attempt to maintain after leaving the retreat. We are all on God's time and we need to think about the time we spent on Kairos often to remember that He is in control and we need to give our lives to Him and everything will be taken care of.
So to Kairos, my fellow participants, and to God, thank you.
LTF #k47 #k1
