Post-Kairos: Experiences and Memories

We all live in a world of Chronos.  In Greek, Chronos means “time”, or the “personification of time”.  We have watches and phones that tell us what time it is, and our whole day is normally based on time.  One of the most precious commodities of people is, in fact, their time.

Not very often are people allowed to exit Chronos, and enter Kairos (a time period in which there is an opportune moment).  Getting away from time, away from WiFi, and away from society contributes to the experience of the Kairos retreat.  When you have half a week of reflection without technology, you are able to truly understand who you are, and to revisit past memories and understand where you came from.

Going to the mountains also adds to the experience.  When there are no cities for miles any way, light pollution disappears from the night sky, allowing the beauty of the stars to shine through.  In the mountains, without civilization, wildlife is allowed to flourish and the beauty of life is clearly present.  Seeing this beauty of life and space brings into perspective how privileged we are to live in a world with so much beauty.  However, it also reveals to us the beauty that we forget and take for granted while we live where there are thousands of people around.

Not everybody gets the same experience during the Kairos retreat.  They shouldn’t, because every person was made unique, and their experiences are specific to them.  One thing that should be the same for everyone, however, is being open to anything during the retreat, and taking it seriously.

The experience of Kairos special, and people can make it even more or less special depending on how they take it.  Taking it seriously makes it more special, but the memories are the most important.  Make memories with your friends, with nature, with God, so you can remember the experience of the Kairos retreat, and the affect it had on you.