Impressions from the Spring 2026 Retreat
MAY 28 - 31, 2026
Keynote Speech: Weaving Resistance, Emily Mace, Intern Minister at Unity Temple in Oak Park, IL
Emily started her presentation by passing out strands of yarn. She called them “Charms of Hope.” As you tied the string around your finger, consider that we are not alone. She said “think of it as our best shared future how it is braided with our present and our destiny.” The tied string can be for hope or for whatever support you need. As we untied the strand we were “letting go of our burdens and bleakness.” Letting them fall away.
She told the story of her friend Tracy Wright, who started a Knitters group in Portland, Oregon, “Knitters Against Fascism.” I learned a new term “Craftivists” – Crafters who are Activists. Tracy invited knitters to come to the ICE detention center in Portland to show the world that Portland was not in flames! Tracy said, “Bring your camp chair and coffee and come and stitch.” First there were 5 stitchers, then 10 and then it made NPR. They were “Weapons of Mass Construction." Emily said her friend was part of a much bigger tapestry. A garment of destiny. Emily quoted Dr. Martin Luther King – “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
2026 Tea n Talks
Saturdays at 2:00 pm Central time
June 20 -- Tori J will facilitate
September 19 -- Diana D and Dana L
October 31 -- Gretchen O
If you would like the Zoom link, email
Summer 2026 Retreat
Join us for a weekend or just for Saturday! We'll gather at the enchanting Ronora Lodge and Retreat Center in Watervliet, Michigan, August 14-16. The modern Cherry Wood Lodge is bright, airy, and accessible too.
2026 is our 10th year of reviving a long-time summer tradition. Walks through the woods, conversations in the yard, communal meal prep in the kitchen, maybe a field trip to our favorite nearby esoteric shop, a swim in the lake... and even a couple of workshops.
Registration will open mid-June.
Joy in Absence
At times we can be the orchestrator of our own discomfort. We choose things for our lives and at times we don't consider the weight those things may have. Protecting your joy is not only about preserving your own happiness. It preserves both your mental and physical health. Life is stressful enough without adding things that create more hardship. That's not self love or care. What may logically be the right thing may not be the most healthy thing for your life. Wisdom is learning your limits and where to step back for your own personal well being.
It's been three years since I started my journey for a more joyful existence. Some things I kept in my life out of obligation even though I knew they were causing me harm. I wanted to be a good person. I wanted to do the right thing. I had no peace. I was never able to rest my body or my thoughts. Rest is necessary for a positive experience and peaceful life. You can't live in chaos and expect peace or joy. You can't heal or be healthy without the ability to regenerate through effective rest.