Dear Barry and others, Thank you so much for sharing Ralph with us as you have through your stories, anecdotes and tributes. Ralph is someone I so looked forward to meeting next week. It will not happen now but somehow it has…in a different, special and moving way. I know that his spirit, his vibrancy, and his gifts will be part of our Peace and High Performance gathering in New York and rather than sadness, void and disappointment, I feel the intensity of his presence and that of a community and collective which will have a very special place in this very special Open Space.
A heartfelt thank you. Suzanne On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 9:50 AM, Barry Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > > http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/ > > “Everything is Moving, Everything is moving.” > Posted on January 8, > 2011<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/> > by Barry Owen <http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/author/barryo06/> > > My friend Ralph Copleman died a few nights ago. > > The world will be a different place for many people without Ralph being > around to interject his provocative and insightful comments . . . and > Poetry. > > I know Ralph as being a lover of life and a lover of people. While i have > really only had the good fortune of spending a few short days with Ralph at > a few conferences . . . and exchanging emails . . . and reading his > occasional whimsical (and DEEP) posts on the listserve he frequented) . . . > Ralph has been a consistent mentor for me. He’s always been there for me > (and so many others) when it was time to see through all of the noise and > find true authentic meaning in the NOW. > > I love Ralph and considered him to be “My favorite Uncle” . . . Never > fearful of saying the wrong things . . . Passionate follower of his own > heart . . . Always willing to step in and DO when others cower from the > daunting tasks at hand. > > I believe that the best way I can honor Ralph is to share 3 of my favorite > quotes from him. You’ll find those below the following very appropo “eulogy” > for one of his friends and colleagues. > > “He was diagnosed with lymphoma in the spring but it was treated and under > control. All was well until he got an unexplained fever this week. He went > into distress and his organs failed. > > Ralph was 65. He had celebrated his 60th birthday with a > memorable coast-to-coast bicycle ride during which he included many of us > vicariously by sending email stories of his adventures from the Rockies, > across the Great Plains, and all the way home. > > He was for many years an OD (Organizational Development) consultant and > large group practitioner. He organized FS (Future search) Network pro bono > training in New Jersey and helped do the same in Seattle and D.C. In Berrien > County, MI, he co-facilitated a critical business sector FS that contributed > to the turn-around of that community. > > Some years ago he gave up general consulting to become a sustainability > advocate, organizing Future Searches to that end, founding an ongoing > organization, Sustainable Lawrence (NJ), in his home town and helping other > communities do likewise . . . > > It is hard to comprehend that we have lost Ralph’s advice and support. > Ralph’s was a voice for all things humane, just, daring and loving, for > people and our planet. He was usually among the first responders to > strategic questions on the listserve, He was full of encouragement, > practical advice, and provocative questions. He was quick to share his broad > experience and systems knowledge. He was one of the early integrators of > Future Search and Open Space. He saw that each had a place in an ongoing > change strategy and understood how each reinforced the other. > > We have lost a loving friend and a good person who cared about this world.” > > Sandra Janoff > > “Everything is Moving, Everything is moving” > > . . . That’s all Ralph said in a recent post . . . and it rocked many > people’s worlds. > > It is SO true that it literally has defined much of my thought since . . . > So many authors have written entire books to say what Ralph was able to say > in 6 words. > > Poetry was something that Ralph wrote everywhere I saw him. I attended an > Open Space on Open Space event in Monterey, CA 1998 with Ralph and found the > proceedings from that event here > http://www.openspaceworld.org/tmnfiles/OSonOSVIproceedings(Monterey).htm<http://www.openspaceworld.org/tmnfiles/OSonOSVIproceedings%28Monterey%29.htm> > > Following are 2 of Ralph’s poems written during that event: > > JUST A THOUGHT… > > Some of us treat the practice of open space as if it were a religion. > They’re devoted and sometimes have dreamy eyes when they talk about it. > > Some of us treat open space as if it were a simple tool. They’re convinced > and sometimes speak with real conviction when they talk about it. > > Some see it as both. Or neither. Or some combination of things. > > Everybody’s right. It’s okay. > > Ralph Copleman > > 1998 – Monterey California – Open Space on Open Space VI – (OSONOS VI) > > From November 14 to 16, about 70 people gathered to participate in the > sixth annual Open Space on Open Space. People came from Australia, Canada, > Colombia, England, France, Germany and the United States. Our theme was > “Growing the Space for Open Space.” The space was opened and held by Brian > Bainbridge, Peggy Holman and Linda Olson. > > *What is my name?* > > I am open space > > I am one, I am all in one > > I am no one > > At all > > Do you come to me in dream time > > Will you walk with me in waking > > May we be together all ways > > Have you seen me lately > > Safety is my container > > Danger is the order of my day > > I wrap my paradox in a blanket of simplicity > > I compose a quilt of ambiguity with a single thread > > I chicken-scratch and penstroke and wave run > > I compress a fevered brow, and I pressure blood > > I am a weapons cache and an eagle’s aerie and a siren’s song and a jalapeno > pepper > > I am so much fun I frighten people > > I am open space > > Have you seen my friends > > Do you know my lovers and keepers > > And takers and hard drivers, my embryo dreams and prodigal children > > Can you travel in my circles, please, and mutter in my ranks > > I am open space > > Can you run the fingers of your mind along my boundaries > > Can you penetrate my emptiness > > Can you fill my corners with cares or woes, or fourfold ways > > Can you move me > > Can you get me open > > I am open space > > Can you fill me up > > I am open space > > Can you shut me down > > I am open space > > Can you empty me out > > I am open space > > Can you answer me > > I am open space > > Can you question me > > I am open space > > Who am I > > I am open space > > I am everything > > I am open space > > I am nothing > > I am open space > > I am anything > > I am open space > > I am old > > I am open space > > I am new > > I am open space > > I am the same > > I am open space > > I am different > > I am open space > > I am I am I am I am > > – Ralph Copelman > > I love you RALPH, and we will ALL miss you. > > Thank you for being fully present while being here with us, > > b > > - Share this: > - > Facebook<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/?share=facebook&nb=1> > - > - > StumbleUpon<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/?share=stumbleupon&nb=1> > - > Digg<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/?share=digg&nb=1> > - Press > This<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/?share=press-this&nb=1> > - > Reddit<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/?share=reddit&nb=1> > - > Print<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/#print> > - > Email<http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/%e2%80%9ceverything-is-moving-everything-is-moving-%e2%80%9d/?share=email&nb=1> > - > > About Barry OwenResidential Real Estate Principal Broker and Founder of > Pareto Realty, LLC. Creating the quintessential real estate firm with > emphasis on "Live, Work, & Play" balance . . . and a true Performance > Oriented environment for Real Estate Professionals. Serving the Real estate > needs of Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee. > View all posts by Barry Owen → > <http://paretorealty.wordpress.com/author/barryo06/> > > > -- > Barry Owen > Real Estate Broker > Professional Coach > Keller Williams Realty > > Connect with me @ Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Plaxo > > Call me: 615-568-2123 > > Read my Blog: http://activerain.com/blogs/barryo > Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net > http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com > Barry Owen’s Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social > networks > > http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/ > > Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space! > > Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the > ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . > Inquire within! > * * ========================================================== > [email protected] ------------------------------ To > subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > [email protected]: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist -- Suzanne Daigle NuFocus Strategic Group 7159 Victoria Circle University Park, FL 34201 FL 941-359-8877; CT 203-722-2009 www.nufocusgroup.com [email protected] twitter @suzannedaigle * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
