Kairos- Take a Risk

Kairos is "an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment."

For many people the word kairos may simply be a term to be used in rhetorical situations.  However, for people who have participated in The Kairos Retreat Experience, it is a lot more.  Being the retreat's leader, I explained to my peers the importance of the term Kairos.  Having been on the retreat before, I had experienced its true meaning first-hand.

In many situations today, we miss opportunities for various reasons.  Whether it be laziness or the simple fear of being embarrassed, these opportunities have passed without ever being taken advantage of. At retreat, we would reveal in our small groups some of the most intimate feelings that we had been holding in.  Consequently, we bonded like we never imagined.  These bonds would have never occurred if we didn't take the risk of being vulnerable to our peers.  I explained to everyone that if they had things that they wanted to discuss then this was their time, their kairos.  With that mindset, 30 completely different people learned to confide in each other as if they were a family.  Whether you were a jock or a nerd, it didn't matter, because at Kairos everyone had an equal opportunity to open up.  We learned that we're all people, and that we can get through even the toughest times with the support of one another.  This was the most beneficial application of "kairos" that I could have experienced.

Letting go of insecurities opened up a window for new friends, new memories, and an overall life-changing experience.  Seizing a simple kairotic moment brought a group of people together and made them a family.

However, being on two retreats I have seen people who let the kairotic experience slip by.  They were too afraid to reveal such intimate thoughts.  But even when you feel unsure about an open door, sometimes its worth the risky walk through, because you never know when that door will open again.

After the retreat I realized that Kairos is everywhere.  Doors open and close in our lives constantly, and whether we walk through them or let them pass by is up to us.  Seizing kairotic moments help us to live without regrets.  Maybe you'll regret never telling your friend how much you care about them before you both go your separate ways to college.  Maybe they'll question the friendship you had and this may consequently lead to losing touch with each other.  Perhaps it's awkward to say how much someone means to you, but when that final opportunity arises, take hold and don't lose your grip for the simple fear of being misunderstood.