I believe that having a retreat is very blissful, don't you think? We, the 10th graders, St.

Mark
and St. Luke, had our first-ever retreat on the 16th day of April 2023. We thought that this would
be our last year together and that we might not see each other again. All of the memories would
be forever stained in our hearts. The feeling of not seeing each other again breaks my heart. It's a
good thing that our batch still gets to have a retreat even though there is still a pandemic.

When I hear the word "retreat," having fun, traveling, and doing fun activities suddenly pop into
my mind, but it was the opposite. We all know that this will be our last year together and that we
might not see each other again. Last year, we had our fingers crossed, hoping for a class retreat,
but here it is already being held. To be honest, it would be more fun if we had our retreat outside
the campus. We envy the other batch that came before us because they traveled far places, yet
here we are only in school, but it was a fun experience.

Sometimes in life, we just have to accept that it is what it is. We have to learn how to go on with
things and continue in life. Struggles and hardships are part of the process, so we must have
patience. It doesn't happen in just a minute; it takes time. 

This retreat is very memorable. Spending it with your friends is the best feeling anyone could
ever feel, especially if you only have them. We experienced nature, building friendships,
spirituality, and personal growth in a lot of new ways we had never encountered before. It was
like vibing with the calmness you felt and stepping out of your comfort zone. Feeling out of the
dark box where you stayed when you were at your lowest is now being lightened by the power of
God's love toward us. 

I felt all of my problems, bruises, and trauma slowly getting shallower and denser. It made me
realize a lot: building yourself not for others but only for yourself is the best decision. To think
that a single prayer can strengthen your spiritual relationship with God. He's up above, watching
us and showering us with guidance, support, and love. He never failed to make us feel
appreciated, even when no one else did.

Seeing my fellow classmates pray made me feel blessed because God gave me good friends and
gifted me with so many things that a person could ever ask for. I thought it only happened in
movies, like when you feel so happy and content with the things given to you, but now I truly
appreciate everything from the heart. I gathered all my gifts and shared them with everyone.

I could feel the holiness scattered throughout the whole room and school at that present time. We
pray for almost every spare moment and end our day with a holy mass. The priest was very kind,
and he loved seeing us praise God with our hearts. He cleansed our souls and renewed our whole
being.

The look on our teachers' faces was very moving because they saw us being closer to God than
ever. We all participated during the whole session, and that made them proud since they only
saw us being very naughty during class. Our second parents are proud.

My favorite part of the retreat was strolling along the school grounds and reflecting on
everything that we had done in the past and how we should make peace with it. I have made a lot
of mistakes in the past, and at that moment, I could feel that I was finally letting go and
accepting everything that happened. I cannot exactly recall everything, but I will admit that I
cried while reflecting on my sins. It made me happy and devastated at the same time. My
feelings were all mixed up.

As I sat alone in the kiosk, I thought about what would happen to me if I did not stop my bad
habits. I was a very naughty boy back then, but as time passed, special people came into my life
and inspired me to change for the better.

During the Taize, we sat on our mats in the senior high school hallway. As we sang the prayer
songs, I could feel the presence of Jesus with us. The candle-lit environment seized the moment
and made everything very beautiful and calm at the same time. The pleasant sound of the music
filled our ears, and as it went on, we all exchanged candles with those we wanted to thank and
apologize to. Addressing my mistakes and giving thanks to the people I love and hurt the most
made me feel so good about myself because I may not have expressed it verbally, but I expressed
it through giving candles. That was the first time that I never felt embarrassed to face those
people, and it made me proud. It was such a coincidence that I exchanged my candle with
someone who also wants to apologize to me; we haven't spoken for a while because of an issue
we had.
Looking at the ceilings once the day had ended made me overthink everything to the bone. From
the day I entered high school until this day, this has been a very rough journey I've been through,
but this is just the beginning. I don't want to leave my high school life behind, and I don't want to
leave my friends; they are like family to me. The teachers are like my second parents in my
second home. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here right now. I truly appreciate everything
they did for me.

When I think of graduating, it makes my eyes water. I could feel my tears wanting to fall out in a
split second. I hope I never lose this moment. After thinking for a little while, I learned to cherish
every spare moment I have left with them. I won't let these memories go to waste.

After our last session, we went out to encounter a big surprise: our parents are here. I could see
them staring at us while they were sitting in the gym, patiently waiting for us. They were secretly
invited to attend the mass with us. The parents brought gifts as a congratulatory gesture for
experiencing a retreat. It's sad to say my parents weren't around because they are currently in a
very important business meeting that they had to attend, but it's fine, though I understand them. I
made letters for them, and I will give them to them when they get home.

Overall, this retreat has completed my high school year. This momentous event will be
remembered forever. It will be fun to talk about this wonderful experience in the future. I felt
nourished and relaxed after this experience, and I will make new goals with the inspiration of
this event.