"Solitude revives us. It may keep us from giving so much that we give out. Certainly we must at times be utterly available to others. Surely we go into all the world with compassion and missionary zeal. But there must be just as certainly times when we let the urge to clear a space for God take precedence. Going on retreat reminds us that any healthy life moves through seasons, even when it comes to our obligations. We strategically withdraw our energy and attention from all the people who, in one way or another, demand our attention or require our focus. We honor that voice within that says 'Enough!' Not to evade reality but to better plumb its varied depths."