Honey Escovilla December 12, 2019

I-Manresa

Recollection 2019: A Unique Spiritual Encounter

Last Saturday, December 7, 2019, we were given the chance to reconnect with

ourselves and with our spirituality through a recollection. At first, I was really hesitant to

even go, since I have treated Saturdays as my rest days ever since I started my law

school journey. On top of it, I was not sure I would have fun, or that this particular

recollection would have an effect on me, since I haven’t really bonded with most of my

classmates, and I have been in way too many recollections since I was in grade school.

Aside from that, I was not really sure that I was in the position to spend 8 hours without

opening my books and my notes.

As we travelled from school to our destination, we were asked to maintain silence,

in order for us to get in the mood as early as possible. As we arrived at Teresian

Daughters of Mary, we were accommodated by our facilitators. They oriented us about

the tasks we ought to do during the later part of the day. As we finished having breakfast,

we began praying. We were asked to meditate, write our thoughts, and air it out first to

our groupmates, and then to the rest of the class. I’m not really one to share my feelings

with others, but at that particular moment, I gave in and I poured my thoughts, especially

to my groupmates. In return, I listened intently to their concerns about family, work, and

school. Through that sharing I found out that I was not alone. All the anxieties I carried
with me the past months and all the sleepless nights I had were also the same burdens

or problems my classmates were having. I was convinced that we can only overcome

these feelings If we worked together as a unit. I was relieved that I was able to have that

talk with my classmates, because I got to know them better. I got to know what they were

experiencing and what they were feeling at that particular moment. During lunchtime and

siesta, I was able to bond with some of my classmates that I don’t even get interact with

on a daily basis. After that, we were asked to pray and meditate again. We were asked

to surrender our fears to God, for His plans are perfect, and the process He laid out for

us will never fail us. Before we went home, we attended the Holy Mass, and listened to a

timely homily.

It was really a great experience. I’ve attended quite a lot of recollections and

retreats in my lifetime, but this one is different. I felt like I got in touch not only with my

spirituality, but also with my inner self. I got the chance to remind myself why I even

started this journey in the first place and why all the hardships will be worth it in the end.

I got to tell myself that I am not alone, I will always have my law school friends who have

my back and who will always be willing to listen and pick me up no matter how many

times I fail. It was a great reminder that God will always be there, and for as long as I do

my part, He will always find ways to deliver me. I must trust that God will not give me

problems and hardships that I cannot overcome, because if anything, it’s just part of this

big plan he has for me, and everything will eventually work out fine in the end.