by a past participant
When I saw the ad in the Catholic News
I thought “this is for me”
Retreat for the Separated, Widowed and Divorced
For I was now one of these
I called a few days later
But to my utter dismay
No room, the kind voice stated
We’ll enrol you for a later day
‘I’ll put you on the waiting list
In case anyone should cancel’
I had no great expectations
Yet I left the ad on my table
A few days before the retreat began
I spied the ad again
‘Maybe I should call another time
Nothing to lose but something to gain’
Sorry, said the voice, no room for you
But there is one later this year
I’ll take all your credentials
And place your info there
I tore the ad to bits
Cause I felt that this was fate
Maybe I am not supposed to attend this time
But at a later date
‘Ring, Ring’ my phone went off again
And I answered with my usual haste
‘I have a cancellation’ the voice said
‘And you can have that space’
I went to the retreat with an open mind
Hoping to be given all the tools
To help me on my journey
As ‘separation’ for me was new
Many broken hearts and minds and souls
Searching for calm and peace
Patient Team Leads guiding us
To write away the tears at least
The most significant episode for me
Was at the very end
The ceremony of bringing closure
Likened to the death of a friend
It sealed the deal for me
My expectations it surpassed
For in order to move on positively
I needed to let go the past
All in all I felt supported
And not so lost in a world
Of broken hearts and broken dreams
Of stories left untold
I now start my journey upon a path
With tools to help me through
It is a New Beginning
Where life does continue
Time to put the past to rest
Is what I learned from this Retreat
Give Christ a chance to heal our pain
A New Beginning just for me.
