Harnessing the Present to Build Your Future, 2025
âJesus is the friend that gathers, and with him we bring our faith together to be one.â These are poignant words spoken by Father Gonzalo Chocano, who helped guide 26 university-aged women through an annual workshop at Copper Ridge Conference Centre over the May long weekend. Father Gonzaloâs words emboldened us to pursue the theme of this yearâs workshop, focusing on friendship and the pursuit of happiness through personal networks and long-lasting relationships. The workshop titled âMomentum: Harnessing the Present to Build your Future,â offered a meaningful glimpse into how our present relationships influence our future happiness. Through lively activities, insightful talks, and moments of deep connection, the workshop reinforced the value of friendship and offered practical ways to pursue it.
The activities began on Friday night when Anne-Marie and Gaby led the attendees through a âWestern Nightâ complete with line dancing, spirited conversations, and delicious snacks prepared by the administration. Though delightfully tired by the nightâs end, we woke up bright and early on Saturday morning for a meditation and Mass on the anniversary of St. JosemarĂa EscrivĂĄâs beatification. During the meditation, Father Gonzalo returned to the heart of the workshopâs theme, reminding us of Christâs words: âNo longer do I call you servant, but I call you friend.â With this spiritual disposition, we eagerly attended a talk by keynote speaker and author, Tamara Lechner. Happiness as a choice and positive well-being as a central imperative of human life were the focus of her talk. Her message was clear: we must radically embrace friendship as a pathway to rediscovering happiness. As she acknowledged, this advice is often easier said than done. She shared practical ways to self-reflect, build networking skills, and set SMART goals regarding friendship. One of her most memorable messages was the distinction between âfitting inâ and “belonging” in new environments. Tamara affirmed that we might not find our deepest friends in every environment, but we can be bold in our desire to seek connections in new spaces.
Deepening these new insights, we heard another talk from Professor Anne Boily, PhD from Montreal, who spoke about the challenges of friendship and how to overcome modern fears associated with seeking connection. Discussing trends in loneliness, Prof. Boily captured some present anxieties surrounding making friends in a digitized and often depersonalized world. While her message was candid, it was not bleak; rather she provided hope to overcome these fears. In an eloquent metaphor, she compared friendship to a puzzle, where each distinct piece only fulfills its purpose when fitted together with another piece to reveal a beautiful image. Similarly, we realize our human calling, not by acting in isolation, but by fostering community with others.
After reflecting on these words, the workshop became more hands-on with a session on wine appreciation, led by former UBC professor David McArthur. In this session, Prof. McArthur engaged the group through an overview of the science behind tasting and smelling wine, how to identify types of wine, and the best ways to pair wines with food. While he provided a unique insight into wine appreciation, we learned more than just how to pair salmon with chardonnay. We also discovered how to use our special interests to cultivate relationships. Through pictures depicting scenes in his life, Prof. McArthur showed us how he celebrated birthdays and anniversaries over bottles of wine shared among his friends. This session inspired us to curate our own meaningful relationships over new experiences, whether through travels, parties, or even the mundane moments of everyday life. Along with Tamara Lechner and Prof. Boily, Prof. McArthur confirmed that we must make time in our busy schedules to pursue and keep our friendships. During the evening, we carried out this message over a delicious supper and a movie, which allowed us laughs and moments of connection before a needed nightâs rest.
On Sunday morning, the group awoke ready to apply our new friendship skills on a hike to Deeks Bluff near Porteau Cove, Provincial Park. After a meditation, Mass, and a hearty breakfast, Kai led us up the mountains to a beautiful site overlooking Howe Sound, Gambier, and Bowen Island. Through lively conversations we distracted ourselves from the hikeâs steep inclines and slippery rocks. I heard pairs discussing everything from small matters of the day to insurmountable questions about the meaning of life. One participant in particular, Marissa, commented on how the activities at Copper Ridge have shaped her. She shared: ââŠmy faith is renewed with every retreat or workshop that Iâve had the privilege to attend. Whether it be a time of contemplation or creating stronger bonds and lasting memories, I am truly grateful for all the service and dedication that goes into making Copper Ridge an amazing Conference Centre.â Her words echo the sentiments of newcomers to Copper Ridge and long-time attendees alike, all of whom have benefitted from the opportunities that the Centre provides. Over three short days, the workshop taught us how to pursue authentic relationships and embrace the friendships that will strengthen us for years to come.
May 27, 2025
Mary Asuquo, Political Science and International Relations Student at UBC