Because of my late arrival at the retreat, my dinner night was rescheduled. We each choose a night to cook for the group. We have one group night, where we all bring ingredients to share for an agreed upon menu, like a salad bar, taco bar, or potato bar. Our first night is usually an “on your own” dinner to allow for settling in. And our last night is always leftover night so we can clean the frig before travelling home.

I usually sign up for an earlier night of the week, but I didn’t make it in time. A friend swapped nights with me. I had enough time to pick up my ingredients and settle in for a couple days before cooking for the group. I’d chosen to make breakfast for dinner. When we sign up, we include our menu to avoid duplication. I decided to try something different this year.

Scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, biscuits, and fruit.

It was an easy fix, and as I coordinated in the kitchen, one of my retreat friends caught me up on her life. As busy as my schedule leading into the retreat was, as many directions as my mind was going, as topsy turvy as the schedule seemed to be, I began to feel grounded. I was serving my friends and settling into the comfort of the care and share our group provides.

As the night continued, we joked with each other. We shared our lives. We walked through our struggles and our plans. We connected. And I was reminded.

Topsy turvy is okay when connected with others we trust. Community grounds us. Even in the confusion and chaos of life, we can be confident when we’re connected to the right people.

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