RIDING THE KAI-DE

On January 7th, Regina upperclassmen set fo(u)rth on their journey of connection and self-evaluation

By Lizzy Cwiklinski ‘23

To ring in the new year after such an exhilarating start to the 2022-2023 school year, Regina seniors and a handful of juniors head out on the road to the Colombiere Retreat & Conference Center in Clarkston to commence the highly anticipated Kairos retreat. Moderated by Miss Frikken, Kairos is the fourth of its kind. Its purpose is to bond and understand our peers on a more vulnerable level, while recognizing our relationships with ourselves throughout a three-day period. The retreat delved into an array of emotions many, like myself, were not prepared to experience.

Though, despite being subjected to the same activities and topic discussions, opinions on its effectiveness differed. Senior Elle Kourtakis shares her overall positive outlook on the retreat. “It’s a great experience to strengthen your relationship with God and get closer with classmates we wouldn’t normally have.” Another factor that plays into Kairos is that the participants are not allowed to possess phones, laptops, watches or any other time telling devices. This crucial component works to revert us onto God’s time rather than outside influence and distractions. Kourtakis further adds on how the disconnect from our devices and the time have made for a much more interactive experience. “I feel like it would have been nice to know the times, but it was nice to focus on the activities without having to worry about the time.” Kourtakis has since implemented what she has learned from the retreat in terms of nurturing her relationship with God. “I would implement my focus by strengthening my relationship with God through praying, making the effort to talk to him, and listening to gospel music.”

However, not everyone felt the same lasting impact. Senior Sydney Urban, in her own definition, elaborated on what Kairos meant to her. “[It’s] an experience that just scratches the surface of what you really need and not fully handled.” In contrast to Elle’s view on timing, Urban found that being unplugged was not beneficial. “Being removed from the time of day did not benefit me because I'm a human on a schedule and could feel what time it was.” Urban states that the “kai-high” - a term used to describe the elated feeling one undergoes after experiencing Kairos - was short lived. “I did not find it beneficial; it wasn't anything that could truly change me as a person. Everyone went back to normal.”

Although the weekend of January 7th-January 9th has etched a significant place within its participants, not everyone was left with the same impression. Over 60 girls attended the retreat and each one has their own way of processing their emotions that may not always be reflected through the activities that were presented. Kairos has proven itself to uphold strong values of empowerment, spiritual encounters, and finding refuge in others that will have an impact on its attendees for years to come.