Gratitude for this Step With God

From my journal (Jane Marie) on August 2, 2024:

“A lovely morning watching the sunrise. Amazing really that I can do this every day. The sky is bright orange. Recently the sun itself looked hot pink. A light rain… I sit outside semi-under the eve and enjoy. And – here it is – the sun has risen. I feel gratitude for these morning times over the past few years. The familiar sounds of others’ morning routines too. The pick up truck that pulls up to the lake before dawn & the dogs that quietly jump out and hit the trail; The fast walker wearing a hat with Jamaica colors; the long haired man with dog that sings (the man sings, not the dog!); the sometimes early morning jogger & today a little blonde boy on his bike with mom and dog. So sweet. They all have no idea how they made my day.”

The synchronicity of Pieter and I landing at the retreat house to be caretakers felt miraculous in itself. Shiryl was retiring, Jacquelyn and I reconnected and the possibility of us stepping in was presented all about the same time. None of it being orchestrated in any way, just Given. Coincidence? I think not! What a simple way to live! Yes, please ~ Thank you!

This role has felt like being a child and being given the pretend responsibility of being the (fill in the blank) postmaster, shopkeeper, librarian… ALL THIS to play with?! WOW!!! That is truly what it felt like for me.

It has been a lot of fun to have this palette to create and serve with and to meet and join with all of you in some way shape or form. Our moving on was guided simply by the feeling of “it’s time to move on.”  Practical matters of Pieter stepping into retirement, the physical nature of in person retreats feeling complete, the excitement of “I wonder what’s next” are all also true, but were not the impetus. Life is Good and it keeps showing up in differing ways. 

Pieter also shares his gratitude in this way: I love to share the gratitude of growing – knowing that nothing is by coincidence. To trust this fact is a challenge for a mind so accustomed to planning.  To be here in the retreat house was not planned but given as Jane Marie also said.

We both feel that taking and trusting this step to be here was the guiding – not knowing how it will look and what it will bring for us and to others. To trust the divine plan is to trust that all that is happening is happening for good and surrender to it. This growing trust is what happened to me at the time of being here.  I did not know 2 and a half years ago how much fear had to come to the surface to be replaced by love. Understand me well, this is a huge blessing, mostly only seen in the rear view mirror. But what was felt at the moment was the supported love and the trust in us. It feels like the real reason we were in the retreat house was to receive that love and trust. We all know that being trusted is a very safe feeling and an inseparable aspect of love.  And be sure, nobody is excluded from the thanks and gratitude I feel for the love received from the brothers and sisters in awakening together. We go to a new chapter of the discovery journey, but with more light received from the time being here. In the end, there is only one discovery: “We all are that pure love we denied for so long.”Pieter 

We will surely depart during a sunrise. What a wonderful symbol of yet another new beginning. I love it, I enjoy it, and I am grateful. We are excited to be handing the torch on for the 2025 in person retreat season to one of our dear friends and someone who has been very helpful along our way – John Mark Stroud and his wife Cindy. This handoff has provided an opportunity to connect in a whole new way. So much to be grateful for.

Thank you, Awakening Together! Thank you, Retreat House! For providing the space to take our next steps with God. And now the Retreat House takes ITS next step with God ~ Come What May.