Human to Human

I love this simple story that hosting friend Muryah Baldwin shares. She speaks of the ever-growing parts of our work together. In this case, world cafes that gather a community and improve a drug rehabilitation program.

“My purpose for sharing this story at this time is to highlight the deepening fusion and connections that I am recognizing, between our work especially in AoH and TWC and to thank you for continuing my learning. I know that the scenario described is just one more example of experiences that we are all having in places around the world.

I just returned from working in Kalamazoo Michigan where I trained 30 enthusiastic citizens (judges, engineers, life coaches, business owners) as conversational hosts and who assisted me in hosting a large group of citizens at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market yesterday. In a program originally seeded by Fetzer and the Kellogg Foundation, The Drug Courts of Kalamazoo County have made a revolutionary shift in the way that they process drug use offenders. The court has shifted from simply penal system to a problem-solving resource for 1,500 recovered addict/criminals (over the past 10 years) who are now law abiding contributing citizens. Success rate in the program is high especially compared to drug-related criminal recidivism in general. This is a tremendous success story, from the mouths of deeply grateful recovered users.

Several courts across the country are now applying these principles by shifting their approach to a select population of “unintended abusers” not the hard core or violent, differentiating their sentencing options to also include recovery methods, mentoring and bridges back to becoming a NORC normal operating respectful citizen.. The now retired sheriff says it works because the collective of affiliated agents changed their perspective on what the courts are there to provide.

Saturday’s cafe table discussions was designed to take the principles used by the drug court to scale by addressing other immediate systems and situations in Kalamazoo. Citizens set the agenda by identifying next focus, opportunities and dilemmas. It was grand, with media coverage and about 75 people engaged in conversations resulting in rich observations and actionable ideas for moving forward, Attendees covered the scale from judges, sheriffs, mayor, professionals and other citizens across generations. The highlight came during the context setting , testimony from a bright light who fell from grace simply by trying something new. She drew tears with her story of going from rock bottom to a return to her intended life path all because she was given a chance as well as jail time. This set the tone for attacking “hard problems” with hope for success.

I had a blast. The proud town folks were ready, hungry for some way of moving forward (there is evidence that they are change agents) and TWC, introduced by Guillermina Hernandez-Gallegos at Fetzer – TWC Steward – became that bridge; they hit the ground running.

I am rambling………….all of this is to say that I noticed fundamental ways in which TWC/AoH complement to enrich my/our work. My attendance at AoH sharpened an agency for articulating/modeling for the conversational hosts the type of presence, posture, consciousness required to apply TWC principles and to “be a major embodiment of and for the environment they want to create.” This may have been particularly important as many of the learners were from the courts and law enforcement community (strong mindsets). In 3 hours they got it !!!!. The ‘father of the program’ and most engaged judge gave open testimony to the media and the crowd on Saturday of how TWC principles (he attended the training) provided a framework for understanding and repeating what they did well in the drug court without a map – just right hearts and minds. The 30 hosts are poised to become the local TWC community of practice supporting the anticipated conversations that have been stimulated

Gratefully, feeding the Field,
Muryah

Below is an email from hosting mate, Tim Merry, reflecting on the deeper questions of structure. They come from a Berkana Board call. Tim shifts them to the Art of Hosting community. They are good for many places, particularly given the pattern of looking to structure first. I remember from some of my grad school studies — form follows function. These questions from Tim and others takes this to another new level for me. I am particularly interested in how structure grows out of relationship to enable us to face the next in uncertainty.

Some thoughts coming out of a call I just had with the Berkana Board – to seed our stewards conversations in June …

These times call us into living with, and coming to terms with, uncertainty.
What if the hunger for form and structure in the Art of Hosting community was just us clinging to something concrete in the journey to uncertainty?
What if form and structure was not the conversation to be in?
What if form does not arise when we focus on it – but only as bi-product of our relationships and co-practice?
It is our relationships which allow us to survive uncertainty. Turning to one another.
Form comes and goes – the seed is different from to the flower, yet the flower is in the seed. What if this was about how we move through forms that emerge as part of the path rather than what forms we create?
How can we be together beyond any attachment to form and enter the painful and potent ongoing life cycle letting go and letting come?
What if our hunger for form and structure – was truly a hunger for deeper trust and relationship across the AoH Community so we can be in the inevitable uncertainty of life?
What if we letting go of form was the way to enter into nourishing life and entering the forms of life ..?
Some thoughts to throw in the river ….
Love
Tim

OK, so this is a short piece about being a dad. I am dad to 13 year-old Zoe, 11 year-old Isaac, and 3 year-old Elijah. Particularly when I think of Zoe and Isaac, I feel this desire to welcome a social awareness and activism in them. I have a desire to share resources with them — websites, emails, cartoons, movies, groups, websites, people — and then just be in conversation with them. Active, curious, learning, loving conversation. Playful. Serious. Real. Not all are full hits. And on some I am not sure.

Christian the Lion (1 minute)
Reunion of a pet lion in the wild with two people that raised him. Thanks Bud Holland.

World Peace Day (Movie) — Trailer (2 minutes)
An inspiring website and video about World Peace Day – 21 September 2008. Thanks Jennifer Jones.

Adam Bender — Baseball Player (2 minutes)
Adam Bender, 8, is one of several kids who plays catcher in Southeastern’s rookie league at Veterans Park. What makes Adam stand out is that he plays one of the toughest positions on the field with only one leg. Thanks Larry Lires.

The Girl Effect — Several Videos and Materials
“A simple, clear expression of how women and girls are changing their communities. I found this very powerful. The video is also be used by CARE on their website.” Thanks Meg Wheatley

You Are Worth The Time (7 Minutes)
I love the message in this about art, our expressions or art, our process on creating, being as important as air to breath. And I like how many of my colleagues and I are describing ourselves as process artists. Thanks Harold Aldrich, cohost in Florida.

Did You Know (5 Minutes)
A video on the staggering rate of information change and availability. Thanks Jerry Nagel.

From Sarah Whitely in Greece, in an email thread started by Bob Stilger. All friends. I share it here because there are many journies like this. Some are in leadership. Some in relationship. Some in life. Much to learn, I sense here.

What rises in me too is: Do I say YES loud enough, strong enough – from the deep source that calls me to my Full Self, in every single moment? How can I ask for anything – unless I ask it of myself also…Am I emboldened to move forward into the space where the path becomes less defined – and yet, I know I am led at the same time. Do I trust Life?

My reponse…

I am sitting next to my boy Isaac, who turned 11 yesterday. He is beginning to wake. I’m beside him, well, because I want to be. Perhaps need to be.

I feel these questions in me and in a very deep way. I feel aware that my answers five years ago were different. Even five months or five days ago. In each of those moments, I felt the edge of my presence. I can feel the life journey aspect of these questions. Now seeing that the edge of those times has become something new now.

I have felt so often the stepping off in my life. And just when I think I’ve got it, the next level of stepping off, or maybe stepping in shows up that awakens me again to the tremble. Sarah, you have spoken these words and questions that are so spot on for me in this moment. Bob, you have asked these questions that call me and others to a deliberateness of noticing and learning from there.

I am at a point where I feel the way of not knowing. I feel my stomach turning. I feel the “what if I’m just crazy and making it up?” Somewhere in that, I also find the simple truth – these are things to journey in with companions.

Love to all of you. Love for this boy beside me and the love he awakens in me. Gratitude for the path we are on that finds us together in many ways.