Hiking group (thanks T for the picture!)

Sunday I went on my first long hike since arriving in Appalachia, and it was absolutely gorgeous. I forgot how incredible trees look in the fall when the wind doesn’t get to them before the leaves change color. The trail we took was called the “Overhang” and it ends in a cave with a beautiful view of the trees, a view you definitely have to work for. The hike took about three hours round trip, and the first twenty minutes were all uphill. There was also some climbing and sliding along ledges, but it was so satisfying to have to earn the beautiful surroundings. It’s hard to believe that the forest and the creek and the rocks are my backyard. I’ve never lived so close to nature. I came out of the hike a little worse for the wear – with bruises, scrapes, and bug bites – but it could not have been more worth it. Now I’m really excited to go on more hikes and see the beauty of the area before it’s too cold and icy to enjoy it.

Cave at the end of the hike

Monday, I got to do some serious retreat planning. Every time I start working on a retreat, I rediscover my passion for it. I’m doing so many different things at CAP, all of which I like, but this is definitely my favorite. There’s something incredible about deciding what you want retreatants to get out of a retreat and then creating activities and shaping talks that help get the message across. Even attempting to put together the weekend’s schedule energizes me. There is so much possibility and it’s really exciting to see it start to come together. I don’t think this explanation does justice to the way I feel about retreats, but there really aren’t words. I just love them, and it’s incredible to take this love and channel it into an experience for someone else. This is a different age group than I’m used to working with (high school vs. college aged), so it’s definitely going to be a challenge, but I’m ready for it.

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.” – Pedro Arrupe, SJ

Erin Cusick is a long-term volunteer in Educational and Recreational Programming. She lives in the Jackson Volunteer Community.