SVD Postulancy

Sinai Reflection by : Post. Carmelito Cahoy Jr.

We often associate our character and attitude with our past experiences. Hence, the famous saying: “Learn from the past…” Our fourth SINAI session introduced us to Extensive Journal Writing, led by Fr. Allan Canoneo, SMA. This practice is not an ordinary recounting of events or a simple daily log; rather, it focuses on a deeper dimension of writing—one through which you uncover emotions, feelings, and profound personal realizations.

Among the many activities we undertook, I remain particularly struck by one of the highlights: creating our River of Life. What a gentle way to look back on our journey, mapping it through the illustration of a flowing river. We were then gathered by congregation to share our work.

During the sharing, I was mesmerized by my brothers’ creations—they were rendered with genuine passion and heart. More than that, they revealed their early lives through the rich symbolism embedded in their drawings. A mountain was no longer just a mountain, nor was a rock, whirlpool, waterfall, traverse, tree trunk, cloud, or sun merely what appeared to be on the surface. We saw those elements far beyond their literal nature, and that is precisely where the lesson began.

In this life, past experiences can serve as a vital pathway to understanding who we are today. However, the saying “Learn from the past…” does not end there. In full, it reminds us: “Learn from your past, but don’t dwell in it.” That was the exact insight Fr. Allan elaborated on after our three days of extensive journaling. He concluded by reminding us that the experiences we recall and record are meant to teach us, not to anchor us to what has already passed.

With that, I couldn’t agree more with the famous words of Søren Kierkegaard:

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”