1
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Bell

2
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Dear community, we are August 
the 10th in the year 2023,

3
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we are celebrating, savoring
the last day of our Wake Up retreat,

4
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Love in Action", here 
in the Upper Hamlet,

5
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the Still Water meditation hall.

6
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I'm having an interesting 
moment sitting here.

7
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
When we first started creating
youth retreats, about 15 years ago,

8
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it was a real challenge to try and
find enough young people

9
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to have a retreat.

10
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And first there was forty, then
the next year there was like 65,

11
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then I remember 
the year we hit 100,

12
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we were so excited that
we had 100 registrations!

13
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And we went to report to Thay.
This must have been around 2010.

14
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Thay, there's a hundred 
young people in Europe

15
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that want to learn about mindfulness.

16
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Can you believe it?

17
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And he was like - well done!

18
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And then, we started to 
create the Wake Up movement.

19
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I said (to Thay) it's a little 
bit overwhelming!

20
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And he said, and he lit up with sparkles,

21
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
excellent, it should feel overwhelming!