Back to Beyond Cana

We're back and we're exhausted. But it's a good kind of exhaustion!

It became quite clear over the weekend that God wanted us back at that retreat and also in the retreat program at our parish. It was like having a giant invisible hand gently shoving you into your spot on the chess board, if I may be allowed to use that analogy. We could have said no at any time but we've learned that God's way is the best and certainly the easiest (even when it doesn't seem like it at the time).

Naturally, we had a grand time reconnecting with all the people who we hadn't seen for about a year. The best part was getting to know the attending couples just a little and watching the transition take place as they worked through the process to greater openness and love. There is nothing like it.

When in L.A. I received an email from a woman who was considering signing up but who was worried that the retreat would be too sappy. She'd read Happy Catholic for some time and seen me mention Beyond Cana so she came to me for the straight scoop. I, naturally, told her that if it were sappy I wouldn't have made it through myself. And then forgot all about it. I wasn't involved with the retreat, right?

Of course you know what happened. I was introducing myself to the arriving attendees when a young woman said, "I'm the person who emailed you when you were in L.A."

Oh! Got it! Just another of God's little jokes.

She and her husband were so much fun to talk to and I look forward to furthering our acquaintance with them ... when that good kind of exhaustion has faded and "real" life seems normal again.

Just one of the many benefits of Beyond Cana, y'all! You might meet friends you didn't know you had!