A Retreat…

I had been hesitant to share this experience as I know that discussing issues of spirituality can bring conflict and opposition. However, I believe that humans often benefit from trying new things and opening their minds and hearts to these experiences. A couple of weeks ago a gave my family a hug before heading to a weekend retreat without having any idea of what it was about. I will not go into the details to avoid any thoughts of beliefs which we often see in society, but I think that the experience was a great way to get perspectives to many things in life, including our need to often slow down and continue to appreciate our capabilities as people of thoughts and freewill (mostly).

As I had been so busy at work due to my new role, I really had not prepared for the weekend at all. I never sat with the person who suggested to participate nor did I research anything online about the experience. I think that was the best thing to do as it all came as a surprised and while it was not the best approach given my introverted ways, it did test my latest social expansions to learn how to meet new people and interact. I was able to leave the weekend with a couple of new acquaintances as the group activities helped get to know one another. However, I am quite hesitant to call everyone friends as it takes more than a weekend for me to consider them that. Ironically, I never spoke with my roommate as I would be so tired after the sessions that I would immediately go to sleep and wake up early for a run before the next day had started.

One of the best parts of the weekend was the fact that there were sessions dedicated to a sort of meditation. The meaning was interesting but the ability to clear my mind for a time was relatively new to me as I normally have my mind racing a 100 miles per hour as I am often thinking about what is next on my to do list. While I could have done the same then, I thought I owed it to myself to go through the experience. It was one of the first times I had my eyes closed for more than 5 minutes while not sleeping. It got so quiet that I could here my breathing and the muscles of my body contract to move. It was a interesting experience as it led me to think about my life and after hearing some stories that weekend, to give even more thanks and gratitude for all I have in terms of those who surround me and my health.

Of course, my thoughts came to rest on Steem and the feeling of opportunity that continues to fill my mind when I think about the community and the ecosystem we are all a part of. It feels as if Steem was presented to me to take my life one step forward in spreading opportunity and goodness. I has always wanted to be more philanthropic in a sign of appreciation of what I have and feel that the Steem protocol allows me to do so while also growing and having potential to change my life. The fact that we can share our stakes and influence across communities and projects is a great opportunity to give back.

There are so many opportunities here to help and give back that I have tried to more actively engage with some communities to support by upvoting. I feel as if we can all do more and provide real life solutions to communities with needs. Of course, we must always be careful with those that have a front to do good when the reality is another. This is why I think blockchain technology could be transformative in the Charitable and Non-Profit sector. The ability to have the transparency to see the transactions in an immutable nature will help is keep those organizations more accountable for their actions and efforts. I often read how aide efforts to major catastrophes like the Haiti earthquake of years ago never made their impact despite the millions of billions of dollars sent and I am saddened how these human efforts have only reach those in needs for pennies on the dollars contributed. Blockchain can change that and given our social focus, Steem can as well. I hope that the increase in adoption and the continued growth can attract more developers to broaden our reach in society.

New experiences are always an opportunity to learn new opportunities. While I was glad to be back home afterwards, I had a gained perspective of acting on what we have now and not waiting for “a better time” to act upon opportunities. I feel that Steem is that opportunity and that with effort, it can provide me a new path to share and contribute to society. Thanks for all those who make this journey enjoyable and interesting!

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