Looking within through the seasons: Living with the Seasons began at Mariënkroon
On Saturday 31 October, Mariënkroon welcomed the Autumn Gathering, the first of four seasonal gatherings of Living with the Seasons.
Nine women sat in one circle: six nationalities, nine stories, nine cultures, and one shared intention, to look at what unites us.
Living with the Seasons is an initiative of Sofia Noguera and Geisa Barra Cordeiro, both part of the Focolare community for many years. It is a dream we have shared for a long time, and it felt very natural that it found its home here, at Mariënkroon.
The invitation is simple: to look at our lives as we would look at a garden. Nature is always changing, and so are we. As autumn invites us to slow down and look inward, we took time to pause. We walked in silence through the woods, observing nature and slowly realising that we are part of it. Not separate from creation, but one of its elements. Our essence is the same, even if it expresses itself in many different ways.
Then came a creative moment, where each woman gave form to what was moving inside her, through words, drawings and collages with fallen leaves. And one by one, each felt free to share how her own garden was looking.
At the end, the participants wrote down what they were taking home:
“Quietness.”
“Gratitude.”
“Acceptance, it all belongs.”
“Om af en toe echt stil te staan en te kijken om je heen.””That we are nature, that we are all unique and different and that we should shine as we are.”
One participant found a little nut among the leaves. It did not come from the trees nearby, and still it nourishes the ground where it fell. For us, that image says a lot about what we hope to offer.
The gatherings are held in English, and we see this as an open door: for everyone in the Netherlands, wherever they come from, who would like to join. In this small circle we experienced something that is dear to all of us in the Focolare: unity in diversity, the discovery that we are one, each in her own way. And none of this happens unless we allow ourselves the moment to stop and observe.
Next gathering
As the leaves settle and the days grow quieter, winter will come in its own time. Save the date: Saturday 16 January 2027, 13:45 to 16:15, at Mariënkroon, to discover together what this new season invites us to.
Information: livingseasons26@gmail.com
Geisa Barra Cordeiro & Sofia Noguera