“The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach.” – Henry Beston

Yes, the elements of nature surround me this morning, and have been my partner throughout this week.  And this morning the rain … the rain pours and hammers out deep, pounding rhythms against the walls offering me dry warmth.  The storm is upon me and this land, and it seems fitting as the parting serenade.

The final day of my retreat is upon me. The week now seems no more than a soft and gentle blur.  These incredibly wonderful and reflective days, each rich and penetrating, have taken their one-way road into my past.  Each day is passed only once in this life, yet the awareness from living it remains in my pack of life experiences that is carried upon my back as I walk the journey into my future.

And my pack from this week is heavy.  The week has left its mark.  Some combination of me, the setting, and the surrounding circumstances has given me a surprisingly powerful experience, one filled with all the wealth and riches one might desire.  It has given me opportunities to discover and grow.  It has shown me the path into my soul.  It has demonstrated for me the wonderful life fulfilling feelings that can be experienced when one seeks change, opens themselves fully to feelings, and allows themselves to directly connect to special places within themselves where life forces touch the soul.

Yes … this was quite a week.  A week where I got my changes, I felt my feelings, I rediscovered formulas for creating a richer life, and I had fun … such fun … fun that in the end makes me feel grateful for being alive.  Yes, I am the same man yet different, wiser, and happier.  And yes, I had fun … such fun …