Participate don’t anticipate

It’s a phrase that all Regis Jesuit students have heard an abundance of times while preparing for and experiencing a school retreat. Both the young men and women of the school have a sort of curiosity going into a retreat and many students have the tendency to pry at leaders to get as much information out of them as they possibly can but rarely do the leaders give in, with very good reason.

Through my 3 years that I’ve spent at Regis Jesuit I’ve seen huge value in the very frequently used phrase, and like many other students it has driven me crazy. “Why can’t I just know what we are doing?” or “it’s not like it’s going to make the experience any different” are both very common thoughts that run through the heads of the anxious students as they arrive to school the day of whatever retreat they will be attending. Teachers and student leaders are overwhelmed with questions and all they can do is remind the students that all Regis Jesuit retreats are all planned and created with purpose and intention and that it’s better to focus on participating rather than anticipating.

The experience of a retreat is about more than just the events, it’s also about being open to the journey and allowing yourself to truly experience whatever God has in store for you. If you already know about every little detail of what’s going to happen and what time each event starts and ends, it’s hard to enjoy the moment and take in the lessons. Although for many it’s hard to not plan ahead or know details, the surprise is a huge part of the experience for every single retreat. As students grow in both maturity and grade level it’s easier to see the meaning of keeping the details a secret and a surprise.

With all that in mind, the one piece of advice to take into consideration as the years go on at this school is to be open to the experience and participate don’t anticipate.

Nathan Shutts ’16, the author, is on Karios 104 at the time of this publication. Pray for all those participating in this live-changing retreat.