The Affirmation Mirror

A True Story

This is based on a true story, but I’ve changed minor details and decided not to name the resort or the retreat because overall I enjoyed the experience, but parts of this story could deter some from attending.

I am optimistic

The Nameless Retreat’s bedroom lighting is so dim I can barely see the contents of my suitcase. The accommodations are a bit of a disappointment in general, like the food at Disney World, I note, as I search in vain for a luggage rack. There is no dresser, no shelf, nowhere to put anything, only a freestanding, open, Ikea hanger-type thing designed to display maybe three sundresses, though we’re staying for seven days. Where the bulging white carpet meets the wall, a dark line rims the room, the sign of past water intrusion, flooding, and mold, and instead of a king bed for my partner and me, as the website promised, it’s a queen, but I shouldn’t complain, but… this was more expensive per day than the West Palm Beach Four Seasons. This is supposed to be high-end. We’ve splurged on this trip… Still, it’s a retreat, I tell myself, a learning experience, and I bite my lip. I vow not to vocalize my complaints.