Finding God, Gratitude, and Good Friends: My Journey of Slowing Down to Look Around on the Protestant Ministry Retreat

By Jeremy Suzuki (SFS’28)

When I first learned about the Protestant Ministry Retreat, I was excited for the chance to finally slow down. After an overwhelming start to the semester at Georgetown, I felt that this was the perfect chance to slow down and take a break from the buzz of campus. After hearing that my friends from the Episcopal Service were going, I signed up, not wanting to miss an opportunity to spend time with my friends and Episcopal Chaplain, Reverend Cara Rockhill.

Our first night at the retreat, Reverend Cara guided us through a reflective activity using Lego bricks. She had each of us take a handful of plastic bricks, and on them, we wrote a word describing something crucial to our faith or to attending Protestant services. Some of the words I wrote down were “Jesus”, “gratitude”, and “connection”. 

The first word that came to me was “Jesus”, because he is at the center of my faith and what it means for me to be a Christian. At all times, I want to look to Jesus as an example and strive to live like he did.

I also wrote down “gratitude,” remembering how blessed I am. As we would later discuss with the story of Jesus and the Rich Man in Luke, there are so many gifts, so many privileges, that I take for granted. It takes times like these for me to remember the wonders of this world that God created and the beauty of the life I have been given. 

Finally, I wrote “connection” because of the amazing community I have found through Protestant Ministry. I was grateful to have expanded this community by meeting new people during the retreat and to have made many new friends with kind, caring, and thoughtful people. 

All of these things, the ideas and values that we wrote down and reflected on with one another, are what give me purpose. These things, I realized, are what really matter to me.

The most unforgettable experience was the early morning hike that I went on with other students. We woke at 6:30 am, excited to go up and down the many slopes on the trail. When we arrived at the final lookout, the view was amazing. The fields below the mountainside spread out like a scenic painting, glowing golden with the warm rays of the rising sun. The faraway sight reminded me of the many visions and goals that I am working towards in my journey through Georgetown. 

While the destination was beautiful, it was really the journey that stuck with me.  The rough path, requiring concentration, reminded me of the many days I spend running around campus and working late into the night to achieve everything I hope to do. And just as I enjoy carving out time to live in the moment and build connections with others during these busy days, I enjoyed looking around the forest and exchanging religious reflections with my friends during the hike. While walking forward, we made memories noticing little creatures like frogs and millipedes in the vegetation, and noticing the goodness in one another. 

Before I came to the retreat, I felt burdened by the question of whether I am too busy to spend time with God. At this retreat, I found my answer. Despite my busy days, I can live for God by remembering my purpose. We were made to strive and to seek success, but this is only possible by supporting one another. This retreat helped me to see who I am and be thankful for where I am. This retreat had helped me do something simple that I had forgotten was important to do on campus. I smiled.

Jeremy Suzuki (SFS’28) is studying Regional & Comparative Studies (Asia and Latin America), Theology, and Economics.