I am back! I did it! How pleased am I? Wow and Wow again.
Before I reflect on the whole experience here are some Blogs written from the holiday -
Blog 1 one week into the adventure :
Wow. Well done Suzanna - you arrived. You met the group of people who were to be your family and friends for two whole weeks. You walked the streets alone and ate with strangers who were on the same journey of self discovery. Women, and a few men, seeking a new way forward in their lives. So precious, so very precious.
The Coptic Winds have blown for the whole week, as if blowing away our troubles that we packed up in our suitcases. The sea has bathed and cleansed our bodies and the place has fed our souls.
It's the half way point, tomorrow will be a turning towards an ending. It has been an uphill climb, not just the physical one returning from the beach, but mentally too. The personal development part of the course requires engaging with the past again - those in the counselling world will know the depths that this can reach and the energy it can spend in healing the wounds of life's knocks.
The Writer's Course has been amazing - just what I needed and I will be taking away exactly what I had hoped for. I am unblocked and have a plan.
Blog 2 - Sunday
The church bells of Skyros churches have been calling me. Little clanky sounds on the breeze rising from a village somewhere below me. I amble round to the Centre for breakfast and to say a fond farewell toa group member today. It will be hard for him to leave the feeling of acceptance, friendship and of course, the sunshine but 'all good things come to an end' and he is wished well on his journey.
My two new Greek speaking friends are heading to church and I skip washing up duty to accompany them. At the church I am handed a white candle to honour a dead person I did not know, and I take a thin brown candle and place it in the votive with my own personal prayer. The atmosphere and chanting cause a surge in my spirit - tears flow, sobs supressed but both my young companion and I need tissues. Our souls touched by the spirit of God. I put an arm around her and say "we're a right pair, aren't we?" and we quietly laugh but it is not long before we are both sniffling again.
A woman hands out bread rolls in sealed clear bags and I observe the priest giving wine on a spoon to even the smallest of children as well as men and women of age. A toddler cries and they try to force him to face the priest and take the wine but he is scared and keeps turning his head away with a fresh scream.
The man who handed out the candles comes and gathers a handful from the votive. He breaks them with a snap and discards them in a bin. It feels brutal - those are people's prayers. I felt indignant that he should treat them so unkindly but no doubt this is an act of ancient tradition - a practice merely to make room for other candles to be placed in the sand tray. What a waste, I think, but later learn that they are melted down and recycled.
Women are still visibly seperated from the men in the church. However, signs of change seems to be happening as two women enter the church without respect for the tradition of having appropriate coverage of clothing over knees and shoulders - they weren't rejected or offered a wrap or shawl.
After the service I sit with my two companions in a nearby taverna and discuss the service as I observed it. I am glad I went with them and look forward to returning to my own little church once I am back home.
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