The days before a retreat always carry their own kind of energy—a hum of nerves and anticipation that sits just under the surface. The lists, the packing, the quiet moments in between. And underneath it all, a growing sense that what we’re about to do matters.
In a few short days, Pete and I will land on the east coast of Sicily. Our guests will arrive from far-flung places, ready to dive into the retreat experience. There will be nerves and laughter, clinking glasses, and that easy sense of belonging that always finds its way in when people create side by side. That’s where the magic is.
Now, more than ever, I believe in the enduring importance of making something with our own hands. Each act of creation sends an important message, “I was here, and I cared enough to make this.” In a time when machines can mimic nearly anything, the things made by human hands are becoming more valuable, not less. They carry energy, imperfection, and heart you can literally feel, if you try.
Making something has a way of healing us. It steadies the mind, lowers the noise and softens our edges. And in a world that keeps getting faster and more automated, we desperately need more of that. More peace. More slowness. More making. More things that bear the mark of a real human being.
For me, our retreats have always been about that—remembering what it feels like to be human again. To feel again. To have your feet in the grass, to breathe deeply, to laugh and play, to listen and taste and truly be present. They’re about filling up so that you can give back, to yourself and to others. Perhaps that’s why we crave them. Not as an escape from the world, but as a quiet and mighty way of tending to it, creating beautiful ripples, as I like to say.
I can’t change the world, but I can keep gathering good folk and nourishing them with beauty and kindness. I can keep painting what is good and raw and true, encouraging others to listen to their own creative voice, and trust that every brushstroke and every shared meal holds a little hand made hope.
Love,
Laura xo
Ps. Yes, I’ll bring home some yummy recipes, straight from Polina and Alessandro’s Sicilian kitchen.
