awesome story, Suzanne! best wishes, Eleder 2010/1/2 OSLIST automatic digest system <[email protected]>
> There is 1 message totalling 359 lines in this issue. > > Topics of the day: > > 1. An ``Open Space Family`` Christmas Story (very long) > > * > * > ========================================================== > [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 > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2010 15:33:34 -0500 > From: Suzanne Daigle <[email protected]> > Subject: An ``Open Space Family`` Christmas Story (very long) > > --00504502e96d25132c047c204983 > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > > On December 15th, Harrison invited some serious collective thinking about > =93Opening space 24 X 7=94 and what that might mean. His reflective > questio= > n and > invitation sparked the idea to =93open space=94 in my family over the > Chris= > tmas > holidays. What transpired was an Open Space event on December 28th 2009 > =96= > a > day that touched our family and friends in a way that we will never forget. > > What began as a spark of an idea turned into Open Space pre-work leading to > a family gathering invitation by my 16-year old niece Emily who became the > official host and her 33-year-old cousin Charlie as co-collaborator. We > communicated by conference call: me in Florida, Emily in New York state and > Charlie in New Brunswick, Canada. We decided to invite family *and * > friend= > s. > We created a theme: *=93If I could change MY world or OUR world just a > litt= > le > bit=85=94* We crafted a few supporting questions like (What am I passionate > about? What makes me happy? Who am I? Who do I want to be? How can I make a > difference?). We set up a NING site and my sister Monique in Canada took > charge of finding a place to meet, handling a bunch of logistics. We > planne= > d > a 4-hour event followed by supper and an evening of live music showcasing > the homegrown talent of nieces, nephews and others. The excitement and > anticipation was palpable. The traditional holiday gift-giving and eating > seemed to take second place. > > Worth noting that I had not seen either Emily or Charlie in years and > truthfully, we hardly knew each other=85in the sense of really knowing each > other. Like typical parents and siblings, my brother would speak of his > kids (he has four), my sister would share happenings about her grown-up > adolescents (2) and I would do the same with my daughter. Like most > families, when some of us got together, we=92d all greet and hug each > other= > as > everyone arrived and soon after, groups had formed with the young people > hanging out in a corner of the house playing video games or watching a > movi= > e > and the adults sitting on comfortable couches and chairs catching up over a > beer or a glass of wine. We=92d have meals in the same house, but > typicall= > y, > we=92d be spread out all over the place. *This* family gathering was very > different=85a first and certainly not a last! > > One of the biggest firsts from this special day is that it was the > *=93firs= > t=94 > * time all of us siblings got together at Christmas in 30 years. Had it > no= > t > been for Open Space, this would not have happened. I was supposed to be in > Connecticut; my sister was planning to spend quiet time at home in Toronto, > Canada, while my brother and my other sister and their families would be > i= > n > New Brunswick Canada for the holiday. The =9324 x 7=94 invitation changed > = > all > that. It sparked the idea to hold a family Open Space and before we knew > it= > , > we were scrambling to find cheap last minute airplane tickets to get to New > Brunswick. > > Now to the Big Day! We all had our name tags with lots of nervous energy > and excitement to go with it. The chairs were set in a giant circle (we > wer= > e > about 30), the posters were up, big white sheets on the floor with > lots of markers, > our Empty Marketplace Wall was waiting for topics and the hand-drawn banner > theme that Emily made was hung up. Charlie welcomed everyone and handled > the logistics (ie. bathroom, schedule, and turning off cell phones). He > the= > n > introduced Emily. She starts by telling the story of how and why we were > al= > l > here, expressing how happy she was and then introduces her Aunt Sue. With > = > a > lump in my throat, I walk the circle feeling all eyes on me, knowing > how different it feels for them to be here sitting in a circle. Like all > the other Open Spaces I had facilitated, I recognized this nervousness and > knew many of the unspoken questions in their heads: =93Will I need to > spea= > k > in public? What is going to happen? Why am I here? What are all these > posters on the wall and white sheets in the middle of the floor?=94 I felt > the nervousness too: this was my family and I knew how much they wanted > thi= > s > to be a successful day for Emily, for Charlie and for me. I knew the family > history =96 a typical loving and sometimes stressed out family, each > juggli= > ng > busy lives as parents with active careers or kids with packed schedules, > many of us working way too hard, doing the best we can, often feeling > it=92= > s > never enough. Some were visibly uncomfortable having shared quietly with me > before that they were introverts and didn=92t really like ``this kind of > stuff``. > > Well as always happens in Open Space, any doubt anybody had was immediately > erased. The worries wondering if anyone would write a topic disappeared in > an instant with the most introvert attendee (an accountant) being the first > on his knees writing a topic. I had invited everyone in our opening > remark= > s > to pretend they had no age and to remember what it felt like to be 10, 14 > o= > r > 16 again or if young, to imagine themselves older. The most introvert, the > one with little hair on his head, broke the ice as he announced his topic > b= > y > saying: =93I=92m Dan and right now I am 19 -- a time when I had lots of > ha= > ir > just like Charlie (his goes to his shoulders)=94. The self-organizing > mag= > ic > had done its thing! > What surprised me though and truly brought tears to my eyes were the topics > themselves, the depth, the passion, the caring and the universal subjects > s= > o > common in Open Space. Add to this the quality of the conversations that I, > as a facilitator, could not be part of but heard much about; the awe the > adults experienced listening to the depth from their kids about life and > th= > e > world. > People shopped the marketplace and we then had 2 rounds of conversations on > 12 very meaningful topcs. *If you want to know more, please visit our NING > site: http://ostwiththestpierres.ning.com/* > > But before you click the link, a last short open space tale about my > 10=96year-old niece Laura (Emily=92s sister) who stole the day=85almost! > H= > er > topic: =93How can we help the Earth?=94 As the initiator, she attracted > = > 4 > adults including Frank, a scientist and university professor with a PHD in > marine geology. From what I hear, she more than held her own. Bumble bees > joined and there was Laura engaging her group in shared leadership, she on > the floor taking notes, others on their chairs above with all eyes on her > flip chart, totally engrossed in the conversation. Within an hour, Laura > wa= > s > at the newsroom, jumping on her computer (we had 5 computers) typing her > report. Big words, big thoughts, no matter, Laura was part of this group > a= > s > equal and expert as any and all of them! > > So dear Open Space community, may we all =93Open up Space=94 in our lives > 2= > 4 X 7 > in family, in community or at work because I am convinced, without a shadow > of a doubt, that opening space to have conversations that matter is how we > will touch and improve the world we live in. In 2009, I learned to `just > d= > o > it`` and in 2010, on this first day of a brand New Year, I plan with > courag= > e > and conviction to do more of it wherever and whenever I can. > > Feeling very grateful in this present moment! > > *Suzanne * > http://ostwiththestpierres.ning.com/ > > --=20 > 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] > > * > * > > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > [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 > > --00504502e96d25132c047c204983 > Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" > face= > =3D"Calibri">On December 15<sup>th</sup>, Harrison invited some serious > col= > lective thinking about =93Opening space 24 X 7=94 and what that might > mean.= > His reflective question and invitation sparked the idea to =93open space= > =94 in my family over the Christmas holidays. What transpired was an Open > S= > pace event on December 28<sup>th</sup> 2009 =96a day that touched our > famil= > y and friends in a way that we will never forget. </font></p> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font > size=3D"= > 3" face=3D"Calibri">What began as a spark of an idea turned into Open > Space= > pre-work leading to a family gathering invitation by my 16-year old niece > = > Emily who became the official host and her 33-year-old cousin Charlie as > co= > -collaborator.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>We communicated > = > by conference call: me in Florida, Emily in New York state and Charlie in > N= > ew Brunswick, Canada. We decided to invite family <i > style=3D"mso-bidi-font= > -style: normal"><u>and</u> </i><span style=3D"mso-spacerun: > yes">=A0</span>= > friends. We created a theme: <b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i > s= > tyle=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">=93If I could change MY world or OUR > w= > orld just a little bit=85=94</i></b> We crafted a few supporting questions > = > like (What am I passionate about? What makes me happy? Who am I? Who do I > w= > ant to be? How can I make a difference?). We set up a NING site and my > sist= > er Monique in Canada took charge of finding a place to meet, handling a > bun= > ch of logistics. We planned a 4-hour event followed by supper and an > evenin= > g of live music showcasing the homegrown talent of nieces, nephews and > othe= > rs. The excitement and anticipation was palpable. The traditional holiday > g= > ift-giving and eating seemed to take second place. </font></p> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" > face= > =3D"Calibri">Worth noting that I had not seen either Emily or Charlie in > ye= > ars and truthfully, we hardly knew each other=85in the sense of really > know= > ing each other. <span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0</span>Like typical > pa= > rents and siblings, my brother would speak of his kids (he has four), my > si= > ster would share happenings about her grown-up adolescents (2) and I would > = > do the same with my daughter.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 > </span>L= > ike most families, when some of us got together, we=92d all greet and hug > e= > ach other as everyone arrived and soon after, groups had formed with the > yo= > ung people hanging out in a corner of the house playing video games > or=A0wa= > tching a movie and the adults sitting on comfortable couches and chairs > cat= > ching up over a beer or a glass of wine.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">= > =A0 </span>We=92d have meals in the same house, but typically, we=92d be > sp= > read out all over the place.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 > </span><b= > style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: > no= > rmal">This</i></b> family gathering was very different=85a first and > certai= > nly not a last! </font></p> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" > face= > =3D"Calibri">One of the biggest firsts from this special day is that it > was= > the <i style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">=93first=94 </i><span style= > =3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0</span>time all of us siblings got together at > Ch= > ristmas in 30 years.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>Had it > not= > been for Open Space, this would not have happened. <span > style=3D"mso-spac= > erun: yes">=A0</span>I was supposed to be in Connecticut; my sister was > pla= > nning to spend quiet time at home in Toronto, Canada, while my brother and > = > <span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0</span>my other sister and their > famil= > ies would be=A0in New Brunswick Canada for the holiday. <span > style=3D"mso-= > spacerun: yes">=A0</span>The =9324 x 7=94 invitation changed all that. It > s= > parked the idea to hold a family Open Space and before we knew it, we were > = > scrambling to find cheap last minute airplane tickets to get to New > Brunswi= > ck. </font></p> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" > face= > =3D"Calibri">Now to the Big Day!<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 > </spa= > n>We all had our name tags with lots of nervous energy and excitement to > go= > with it. The chairs were set in a giant circle (we were about 30), the > pos= > ters were up, big white sheets on the floor with lots of <span > style=3D"mso= > -spacerun: yes">=A0</span>markers, our Empty Marketplace Wall was waiting > f= > or topics and the hand-drawn banner theme that Emily made was hung > up.<span= > style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>Charlie welcomed everyone and > handl= > ed the logistics=A0(ie. bathroom, schedule, and turning off cell phones). > H= > e then introduced Emily. She starts by telling the story of how and why we > = > were all here, expressing how happy she was and then introduces her Aunt > Su= > e.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>With a lump in my throat, I > = > walk the circle feeling all eyes on me, knowing how=A0different it=A0feels > = > for them to be here sitting in a circle. <span style=3D"mso-spacerun: > yes">= > =A0</span>Like all the other Open Spaces I had facilitated, I recognized > th= > is nervousness and knew many of the unspoken questions in their > heads:<span= > style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>=93Will I need to speak in public? > = > What is going to happen? Why am I here? What are all these posters on the > w= > all and white sheets in the middle of the floor?=94=A0<span > style=3D"mso-sp= > acerun: yes">=A0</span>I felt the nervousness too: this=A0was my family > and= > I knew how much they wanted this to be a successful day for Emily, for > Cha= > rlie and for me. I knew the family history =96 a typical loving and > sometim= > es stressed out family, each juggling busy lives as=A0parents with active > c= > areers or kids with packed schedules, many of us working way too hard, > doin= > g the best we can, often feeling it=92s never enough. Some were visibly > unc= > omfortable having shared quietly with me before that they were introverts > a= > nd didn=92t really like ``this kind of stuff``.</font></p> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font > face=3D"Calibri= > "><font size=3D"3">Well as always happens in Open Space, any doubt anybody > = > had was immediately erased. The worries wondering if anyone would write a > t= > opic disappeared in an instant with the most introvert attendee (an > account= > ant) being the first on his knees writing a topic.</font><span > style=3D"mso= > -spacerun: yes"><font size=3D"3">=A0 </font><font size=3D"3">I had invited > = > everyone in our opening remarks to pretend they had no age and to remember > = > what it felt like to be 10, 14 or 16 again or if young, to imagine > themselv= > es older.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>The most introvert, > t= > he one with little hair on his head, broke the ice as he announced his > topi= > c by saying: =93I=92m Dan and right now I am 19 <span > style=3D"mso-spacerun= > : yes">=A0</span>-- a time when I had lots of hair just like Charlie (his > g= > oes to his shoulders)=94.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0=A0 > </span>Th= > e self-organizing magic had done its thing!</font></span></font></p> > > <div style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font > size=3D"3">Wh= > at surprised me though and truly brought tears to my eyes were the topics > t= > hemselves, the depth, the passion, the caring and the universal subjects > so= > common in Open Space.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>Add to > t= > his the quality of the conversations that I, as a facilitator, could not > be= > part of but heard much about; the awe the adults experienced listening to > = > the depth from their kids=A0about life and the world.<span > style=3D"mso-spa= > cerun: yes">=A0</span></font></div> > > <div style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font > size=3D"3"><f= > ont face=3D"Calibri">People shopped the marketplace and we then had 2 > round= > s of conversations on 12 very meaningful topcs. <b > style=3D"mso-bidi-font-w= > eight: normal">If you want to know more, please visit our NING site: <a > hre= > f=3D"http://ostwiththestpierres.ning.com/";> > http://ostwiththestpierres.ning.= > com/</a></b></font></font></div> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font > size=3D"3"><fon= > t face=3D"Calibri">But before you click the link, a last short open space > t= > ale about my 10=96year-old niece Laura (Emily=92s sister) who stole the > day= > =85almost!<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>Her topic:<span > styl= > e=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>=93How can we help the Earth?=94<span > st= > yle=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0=A0 </span>As the initiator, she attracted 4 > a= > dults including Frank, a scientist and university professor with a PHD in > m= > arine geology.=A0From what I hear, she more than held her own. Bumble bees > = > joined and there was Laura engaging her group in shared leadership, she on > = > the floor taking notes, others on their chairs above with all eyes on her > f= > lip chart, totally engrossed in the conversation. Within an hour, Laura > was= > at the newsroom, jumping on her computer (we had 5 computers) typing her > r= > eport.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span>Big words, big > thoughts,= > no matter, Laura was part of this group as equal and expert as any and > all= > of them!<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=A0 </span></font></font></p> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" > face= > =3D"Calibri">So dear Open Space community, may we all =93Open up Space=94 > i= > n our lives 24 X 7 in family, in community or at work because I am > convince= > d, without a shadow of a doubt, that opening space to have conversations > th= > at matter is how we will touch and improve the world we live in.=A0 In > 2009= > , I learned to `just do it`` and in 2010,=A0on this first day of a brand > Ne= > w Year, I plan with courage and conviction to do more of it wherever and > wh= > enever I can. </font></p> > > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font size=3D"3" > face= > =3D"Calibri">Feeling very grateful in this present moment!</font></p> > <p style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><b > style=3D"mso-bidi-= > font-weight: normal"><i style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style= > =3D"mso-ansi-language: FR-CA" lang=3D"FR-CA"><font size=3D"3"><font > face=3D= > "Calibri">Suzanne </font></font></span></i></b></p> > > <div style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><font > size=3D"3"><f= > ont face=3D"Calibri"><a href=3D"http://ostwiththestpierres.ning.com/ > ">http:= > //ostwiththestpierres.ning.com/</a></font></font></div> > <div style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=3D"MsoNormal"><br>-- <br>Suzanne > = > Daigle<br>NuFocus Strategic Group<br>7159 Victoria Circle<br>University > Par= > k, FL 34201<br>FL 941-359-8877; =A0CT 203-722-2009<br><a href=3D" > http://www= > .nufocusgroup.com">www.nufocusgroup.com</a><br> > <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected] > </a><= > br></div> > * > * > > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > [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 > > --00504502e96d25132c047c204983-- > > ------------------------------ > > End of OSLIST Digest - 31 Dec 2009 to 1 Jan 2010 (#2010-2) > ********************************************************** > * * ========================================================== [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
