Last weekend my friend welcomed me and another friend to her home for a visit. We arrived around noon on Friday and left late afternoon Saturday. Except for 7 or so hours of sleep we listened and talked.

This wee getaway was one I expected to bring tons of laughter, some frivolous activity and a bit of silliness . To my increasing delight it didn’t quite work out that way. Oh, we laughed and maybe acted a bit like 12 year olds at times, but we spent most of our thoughts and comments in deep, significant, discussion.We talked about our philosophies of life, our goals and expectations, and received and gave advice on things that were holding us back.

These women came into my life a few years ago at work where we shared responsibilities in a program assisting older people get back into the work force. As program manager I actually had a hand in selecting them for the program knowing, after meeting them, they were the perfect fit. What I didn’t know was that although they were perfect for the program, the reason I wanted to work with them was because they were perfect for me.

This special time away, which we came to characterize as a retreat, fed my soul like nothing has for a very long time. The space to sit comfortably, eat good food, share warmth on a cold winter day, and talk about matters sitting on our heart was a rare gift I now cherish. The peace I felt while there, and for days following, was so surprisingly wonderful. The means to this peace deceptively simple: we simply let go of everything to be in the time and space with each other.

I’m still savouring the experience but haven’t really opened up to anyone about it. There really are no words to describe the depths of our interaction, and the meaning and importance to my life this offered.  Although I’ve certainly had significant discussions with other people, what is amazing to me is that we kept the discussions going the entire time we were together.  We didn’t spend our time together on the surface. We dove in fully and completely and were rewarded with a wholesome and precious time. As though we had stopped our lives completely to focus on ourselves and each other, and the importance of sharing life.