As was Reflection the day before, yesterday's Reflection was an amazing experience! Our teens came into the chapel in a quiet, contemplative mood.
The teens were then asked a poignant question--
"If you could, with a snap of your fingers, give anything to God-- just leave it with God... what would you give?"
The teens thought about it for a moment-- and then, one by one, walked up to the alter to relieve themselves of something... to "Give it to God".
"I want to give God my old self. I want to start over... make good choices. I don't care if people make fun of me anymore. There. Take my old self, God. Now I can start over."
"I want to give God the bad decisions I've made.. if I've offended anyone, I'm sorry. I don't want to do that anymore."
"I want to put it out there... I haven't been very nice to my mom. I want God to take that, because I don't want to be mean to my mom."
I was so awesome for us to watch the teens regulate themselves. A few teens were a bit fidget-y during yesterday's Reflection. It was the usual two or three teens you may seem snickering or making faces at one another. Yesteryday, we didn't need to say a word. Their peers were very serious with them.
"Stop that. This is serious."
"Hey man, we're in chapel. That's not cool. Relax."
This process of intimate, serious sharing is paving the way for us to engage the teens in the Circle Process. The Circle creates a safe, intimate, and sacred sharing space. The teens are getting something out of it-- opening up to their peers, becoming vulnerable... and they want to protect that space. Every day we are more and more impressed with our teens. They are making such amazing progress so quickly.
We cannot wait to see what tomorrow holds.
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