Many Encounters

Last week a small Ukrainian group joined us. They’re staying in the house we’re living in, too. The group consists largely of teenagers who were affected in some way by the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine. The reason why they’re here is a seminar about nonviolent communication .

We were all quite excited beforehand: How will it be, having even more people with a different background staying with us? Will we get along, despite these differences? And what about all the generations meeting each other? We, in our 20s, the people from the Laurentiuskonvent, themselves parents or even grandparents, and the teenagers? In the end such encounters can be hard, can be beautiful, can be both.

Now they are here and what can I say? In enjoy having them here so much. They fill this house with their presence, with their songs, with their laughter. Silently they also fill this house with everything painful they experienced. But as this belongs to them, too, and as I’m happy to share now these ten days they are staying with us, I find it important to feel this pain, too, at least a fraction of it.

(Miriam)