Retreats

What is the purpose of the spiritual life? The French philosopher Gabriel Marcel said that in a sense we could “define the whole spiritual life as the ensemble of activities through which we reduce in ourselves the part played by unavailability.” Marcel’s wording may seem strange, but his point is a good one. The spiritual life is about becoming available—to God, to ourselves, and to other people.

It’s difficult to express just how worn and haggard I was when I traced the Virginia mountain back roads following cryptic directions to a retreat house. So much for my planned late night escapes to the coffee shop in town, there was no town. I parked the car and began a slow march into the empty lonely void of silence; retreat. I was terrified.