20 Hours, Two Sisters & One Women’s Retreat

As you read this, I will be on a road trip to Prince Edward Island—one of my favourite places in the world. Woo Hoo!

My parents were both born there, and there is something about being on the Island that makes my soul feel alive. The ocean, the red earth, the rolling fields, the slower pace of life. And of course, I love seeing my relatives.

When I’m there, something in me settles. I feel at home.

My sister Deb and I will be driving fifteen hours straight to my Aunt Verna’s in New Brunswick before making our way to PEI. The only thing missing will be my mom and sister Shell, who loves PEI just as much as we do.

My mom comes from a family of fifteen children—yes, fifteen! She is the oldest, and many of my relatives are still on the Island. No doubt we will be greeted with their down-home hospitality, great food, singing, stories, and laughter.

So when I go to PEI, I’m not simply visiting a beautiful place.

I’m returning to my roots.

And after a few days of visiting family, I’ll be doing something I’ve never done before—hosting a women’s retreat in PEI.

Deb, a wonderful group of women, and I will be staying in a beautiful oceanfront beach house for five nights. We are going to experience PEI.

Get ready, ladies—we’re so excited to pick you up at the airport on Saturday morning and begin this adventure together!

I’ve hosted many retreats over the years, but never on Prince Edward Island. There is something extra special about bringing women together in a place that holds such a meaningful place in my heart.

And I have a feeling it won’t be my last.

It has me thinking about the places that hold a special place in our hearts.

Do you have a place where your soul just feels good when you are there?

Maybe it’s where you live now. Maybe it’s where you grew up. Maybe it’s a cottage, a lake, a forest, a mountain, or somewhere beside the ocean.

Or maybe, like PEI is for me, it’s a place connected to your family, your roots, and your ancestors.

There are some places we connect with in a way that is difficult to put into words. We arrive, take a deep breath, and something inside us seems to say…

Ahhhh. I’m home.

There is something deeply grounding about feeling connected to the land.

When we slow down enough to notice what is around us—to feel our feet on the earth, breathe in the air, listen to the birds or watch the movement of the water—we naturally become more present.

We get out of our heads and come back into our bodies.

The earth has a beautiful way of bringing us back to ourselves.

We spend so much of our lives doing, planning, and thinking about what happened yesterday or what needs to happen tomorrow.

Maybe that is one of the gifts of the places our souls love. They remind us of what matters and help us reconnect with a part of ourselves that can so easily get lost in the busyness of life.

So wherever you are as you read this, I invite you to ask yourself:

Where does my soul feel at home?

And perhaps an even more important question…

What helps me feel at home within myself?

Maybe you can make a little more room for that today.

Pause. Breathe. Look around.

And come home to yourself.

Much peace,

Diane