Annaliese Boubert

I would like to make a big thank you to Kairos for really completely opening my heart more and having a
more positive attitude and mind. All of my senior years, I was very shy, always to myself, and quiet. I’ve
always held my emotions in all the time because I guess I never had the strength to let it all out. I was
just afraid to because I’ve always hated letting out my emotions in front of somebody. It made me feel
like I was weak or wasn’t strong enough. But I’ve learned, letting out all your emotions makes you
stronger in every way possible. If you try to hide your emotions, then that’s when you will be seen as
weak. Kairos taught me all of that and it also taught me that letting out your emotions and not being OK
is OK. It also made me closer to God and made my faith stronger.

When I first heard about Kairos, I obviously didn’t know anything about it and I was really curious to know. I honestly thought it would be a regular retreat for seniors and nothing too much or extra as I would say. I know everyone else thought it was going to be dumb; same with me, but all of those thoughts saying Kairos was boring went all away the first day of attending it. Everyone that I met that first day in my group was the most lovely person and so open and sweet to everyone in our group. I opened up so much to them, and the rest of them also
shared a lot and opened up so much as well.

When I opened up to my group, it helped me just learn that people are here to listen and care about you and will help you in every situation possible. It also shows me that there are a lot more good people in the world than we think they are. They just hide that they’re not good people and once you get them to open up they are the best person you can go to. I also was shown a lot of more beautiful songs that help you and motivate you through the day and just give you a more positive vibe.

At the end of my Kairos experience, I was opened up to become a leader for Kairos in June, and I’m very thankful for that experience so I can open up more before I go off to college and also show other students that it’s OK to cry, feel sad and let all of your emotions out because it can create you to be a very stronger person.

Overall, I am so thankful to have had an experience for Kairos. With all this Covid stuff, I can’t wait to experience it again in the Malvern house.

I’ve had the best four years of Carroll and I’m thankful to have attended this school.