Meeting 1. - What decisions do we make?¶
Goal¶
Bringing closer the meaning of “decision”. Types and degree of complexity of decisions.
Showing the following decisions:
material
moral
spiritual (why did you go to this retreat?)
tactical (why did you choose this place where you are sitting now?)
sentimental
All these types of decisions can be further divided into personal and communal.
Introduction¶
In front of the participants there will be two A4 sheets, one with painted mountains, the other with the sea. On the back of these sheets there will be tasks written out that they have to realize. Each participant will be faced with the choice of one of the sheets, and then will perform the task located on its back.
Task 1 from the first sheet (mountains):
Imagine that you are going to the mountains, you are leading a 15-person trip. What does your preparation for it look like?
- Goal:
We want the trip to be successful, everyone returned from it satisfied and happy.
Task 2 from the first sheet (mountains):
Swear twice, and then crumple the sheet and throw it at the animator (so that it bounces off his head, if you miss repeat the action).
Task 1 from the second sheet (sea):
Imagine that you are going on a cruise to Denmark, you are leading a 15-person trip. What does your preparation for it look like?
- Goal:
We want the cruise to be successful, everyone returned from it satisfied and happy.
Task 2 from the second sheet (sea):
Swear twice, and then crumple the sheet and throw it at the animator (so that it bounces off his head, if you miss repeat the action).
Discussion¶
The first choice mountains or sea comes from the tactical-material-sentimental group? If the choice concerned holidays then: how much money we have, what suits us more, time space allows us to plan holidays only in this place
Material and tactical decisions are trip and cruise
Logistics (choice of route, departure and arrival time, mode of transport, planning some additional attractions on the trail, equipping for possible accidents)
Equipment (I take only what is evidently needed for me, what will not burden me too much and will help me survive (of course enjoy the trip) from other things I must give up)
Moral decisions are throwing a paper
I count on people objecting and not carrying out this command, because it’s stupid to throw at the animator like that. For safety I added swearing.
Decisions that we discussed so far are simple decisions, life however can complicate making a decision more.
Let’s imagine a network of public roads on which we move. At each intersection we must decide where to turn (road network – life; intersection – decisions). Let’s trace the life of several people and bring out their intersections.
Proposed characters:
Abraham (setting out from Ur, sacrifice of Isaac)
Antigone (human law, or divine law. She buried her brother in accordance with divine law, despite Creon’s prohibitions (human law))
Maximilian Maria Kolbe (decision to sacrifice life)
Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko (decision to speak the truth despite unfavorable consequences)
Jesus Christ
Me (Have I made any decisions in my life, if so what?)
Summary¶
In life on different planes we are put in a situation in which our further existence depends on the decision made. From the morning choice of clothes to decisions in which we sacrifice our own ideas, and even life. It is possible that even at the present moment we face a choice.
Difficult decisions are not impossible, there are many ways that facilitate them, but do I make the effort to face their realization?
Once having made a choice, I must constantly choose
—Jerzy Liebert
Survey - needed for the next meeting¶
Mark only one answer next to each question. Write the answers both on the question card and on the answer card.
I am:
under 18 years old
18 or older
Test, you didn’t study, but you got a cheat sheet from a friend.
You cheat, because everyone does it.
You are honest, at most you will repeat the year.
You cheat, but only enough to somehow pass with a C.
During catechesis the topic of religious movements was taken up. After the lesson someone from the class asks you a question: “do you belong to oasis?”. What will you answer?
No, where from, I have nothing to do with it.
No, I was only at a few meetings, but it’s such a sucker thing.
Yes, I belong, it’s a good thing for everyone.
A rich man stands in front of you in the queue to the checkout. When packing purchases he leaves one “Mars”.
You follow him to give it back to him.
You report it to the cashier.
You pack it into your shopping.
Your mom suffers from advanced bone cancer, and your sister dies in a car accident. What do you say to God?
Let Your will be done Lord?
God why like this, answer me!
I don’t care about you God, leave me alone!
On a bench lies a man approx. 60 years old, unshaven, with an unbuttoned shirt and wet pants (smells of urine). What do you do?
You call an ambulance.
You walk on, surely drunk as always.
You call the city guard to take him to the Sobering Up Station.
You know that mom plans washing windows and surely asks you for help.
You go to the library to return home late.
You come and although you don’t like washing windows you help mom.
You don’t care about mom’s request: “after all my future (education) is most important to you mom – I must study”.
You are an oasis member, you already have a certain large stage of formation behind you, you know a lot about God and lead a decent life (you help others, you don’t drink alcohol and don’t smoke, you keep purity with your boyfriend / girlfriend).
You are convinced that you have better access to God and bigger “connections” with him.
You can be proud of yourself, you have already worked out so much.
You feel obliged to greater testimony and readiness to help others in growing.
I once met a girl who liked to repeat: “I will lose weight, but from tomorrow” and “tomorrow” never became “today”.
You take up work on yourself only in Lent.
Working on yourself is the everyday reality of your life.
Work on yourself ends with plans and promises.
Aneta is better at English, but you know that she once stole a phone top-up coupon.
You inform Kaśka about it – the class “Radio Free Europe” (certain that everyone will know about it).
You speak about the fact that you know to Aneta.
You recognize Aneta’s talent, and keep her past to yourself.
The whole class goes to skip school because they didn’t study for the test. You however are prepared.
You go along with them.
You stay in the hope that the teacher will give you a better grade when the test finally comes to effect.
You stay to show that you are ready to answer.
You have the position of the wise and resourceful one in the oasis. Someone new appears, better.
You rejoice in his talents and give him your position.
You try to find some “dirt” on him.
Loss of position hurts you, but you trust that cooperation for the common good is possible.
You have a weak friend in the class, the black sheep of the group, everyone laughs at him.
You have good fun from him.
You try not to cause him sorrow by laughing.
You make an attempt to help him in pulling up results.
You took drugs. Your girlfriend / your boyfriend asks You about your past.
You tell the truth how it was.
You say nothing, because it’s a closed past after all.
You mention that you weren’t “saint”, but you don’t go into details.
Your parents succeeded. You have money and friends with money, for whom the poor are helpless, uneducated suckers. There is a boy in your class – a cool guy, but he can’t afford too much.
You don’t care about him, he stands out from your environment.
You give him a chance to earn, when he relieves You from more difficult tasks.
You finance him in front of your friends giving an equal start in the competition for results.