Metaphors for the magic?

[Douglas D. Germann, Sr.]

Dear friends--

In the last few weeks I have been increasingly frustrated by the responses I
get from people to my descriptions of a community OST event I am otherwise
having fun dis-organizing. <grin>

When I try to describe the magic of OS, I get responses like the one the
other day: "Oh, you mean it is a networking event?"

So I have been thinking of what kinds of metaphors might communicate the
magic, mystery and awe we find in experience.

What concrete metaphors can you think of for something that produces
unexpected results, out of all proportion--quantitatively or
qualitatively--to what the initial conditions were (that is, people gathering
to converse)?

Here are a couple I have come up with, so far:

This is like shaking a bottle of pop--and then popping the
lid. It is like popcorn--a little corn, a little oil, a
little heat--soon a reaction gives us enough food for a
party! Or who could predict, without knowing humanity, that
a party in the back seat of a '56 Chevy would lead to dirty
diapers at 4 am? This is a boiling roiling pot; a darkroom
where pictures of the future can be developed; a
germinating kettle for works new and wonderful. A few seeds
in the wind, a collection of moisture, a little time, and
soon even the desert blooms. A little dirt, a little
manure, a few seeds, some rainy days, and in no time you
get flowers all over! A little dollop of batter in the paper
becomes an overflowing muffin.

This is a creative group--I am sure you will be able to come up with greater
metaphors than these.

                              :-Doug. Germann
                              Seeking people making community change.

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