Retreat

"The retreat helped me see that we are all interconnected. Yes, there are differences, and these differences can bring us together, and that desire to find connection, commonalities, and community is what brings many people joy. I was happy to meet all the people, learn about our cultural differences and similarities, listen to stories, and humble myself to not knowing and just being present. The world feels small when we see it through the lens of others who share values of peace, humility, dignity, compassion, and loving-kindness.

I was so grateful to meet Etsuko and Izumi's families and learn about tea harvesting. I was so inspired and encouraged by the woman who harvests tea with such love, hope, persistence, patience, and practice. She described her work as something she finds joy in doing without any expectation of the outcome. That alone was a powerful lesson for me—to do things simply because I love doing them, without expecting anything in return. I learned so much from her story and all the communities we connected with."