It was 2006 when I met Finn Voldtofte, a Danish man. He was helping to convene a gathering of World Cafe stewards and practitioners. I liked the way that he spoke. It was direct. It was clear. It was simple.
It was two months later that I got to spend more time with Finn. He was a participant at an Art of Hosting gathering that I was co-convening. He became very ill at that gathering. His presence was strong. Yet, his words were few.
It was a couple of months after the Art of Hosting that I learned that Finn had died. He was a person that I didn’t know well, yet felt very impacted by, from a very short time together.
What I appreciate about the image above is, one, seeing Finn’s name. The folks at The World Cafe are organizing a kind of memorial / honoring for him. \
And then, “field,” because this is the core of what we are working on with all of these participative methodologies and such.
And then, “magic,” because I think this is also at the core. I’d call it “practical magic” I suppose.
Here’s to all of us, from Finn and those before him, to us now, and to those that will come after us, that have the courage and clarity to contribute to these fields of human beings in deep connection and learning together.