Ever want to retreat from life?

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JoyToTheWhirled

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I don’t specifically mean religious retreats, I mean getting to the stage where the world gets a bit much, and you’re bombarded and just want to run away.
My wider family is dominated by aggressive atheists and secularists, as are a few of my friends, and a lot of my Christian friends are much more liberal in interpretation than I am.
And after the latest bit of unpleasantness about the things I believe in, be it ethical issues like abortion and euthanasia or outright blasphemy against Our Lord, I find myself wanting to build a treehouse, pull up the ladder and hide.
I know full well I can’t do that, of course. I love these people and want to serve them as best I can, and I know that there is quite enough sin in my own heart, this isn’t about pointing fingers.

I just wondered if anyone understood that impulse to pull back and retreat?
 
YES. I have devised several different scenarios to address the impulse. Most of them involve a good book. Have you read The Lord of the Rings lately? It might be a good time to revisit. Also, Father Timothy Gallagher has a nice little series of talks on the books. I’ve always classified these books among the very small number I consider “friendly,” and I’ve been surprised to learn from him quite a bit about why they feel that way to me – almost 30 years after I began reading them!

You might also try unplugging for a day: no phone, no computer, no TV, and actually log out of all social media so that you can’t get accidentally sucked in. Don’t worry about being “unreachable”: mankind existed like this for almost all of history, and it sounds like maybe you need to be unreachable for a little while. It doesn’t take long. One single day can be amazingly helpful.

I’ve asked Jesus to bless you with peace and rest.
 
I think I could benefit from 40 days in the desert. It doesn’t look like it’s going to happen soon, but possibly someday.
 
Yes. I would like a self contained fully stocked underground base equipped with internet. I would only leave my underground base to address the psychological damage caused by not being around real people.
 
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… and no internet, no phone, no connection. That would defeat the whole retreat concept.
 
I’m sorry your environment is not as welcoming as you wish. Those hot button issues can bring out the worst in people at times. Do you have supportive friends at your local church at least?
 
MargaretofCortona said:
I’m sorry your environment is not as welcoming as you wish. Those hot button issues can bring out the worst in people at times. Do you have supportive friends at your local church at least?
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I’m just beginning to get to know people at church, really. Though I’m hoping that my second time through RCIA will improve the situation.
 
In Catholic churches, it feels more difficult to connect with others.
 
I’m currently going through a period where I feel like this. Not sure when it will pass…
 
I feel that way sometimes too… what I’ve realized is that this isn’t a form of running away from things, but it’s really important to have time to pray to God. I don’t mean just saying our vocal prayers but just BEING with God, like in Eucharistic Adoration, just spending time getting to know Him… and this does give strength to not feel so burned out with other things. But sometimes I do just feel overwhelmed as well
 
Memorise the Beatitudes. This teaching of Jesus keeps me strong in the face of the temptations of secular life, my old life. The naysayers telling me ‘if you just had a hobby, you wouldn’t be so , well, Catholic’
 
I didn’t realize all I needed was a hobby and I wouldn’t be so Catholic!~ We Can’t have that, people being too Catholic, LOL 🤣

I am surrounded by a cloud of naysayers in my life and that gets me down sometimes. I realize that answering their questions about my faith is something I enjoy when they ask and praying for them when their comments make me feel like a “lone ranger” Catholic in my neck of the woods.
 
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Now and then I feel like I want the world to stop so I can get off. It is a temptation when the going gets rough and only a temptation. It passes.
 
People in my life laugh at me when I tell them I went back to the church and am changing to live a better life. But it doesn’t bother me anymore because I look at their lives and they are so unhappy. I’d rather be happy and ridiculed than unhappy and part of the “in crowd.”
 
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