Hunger

Fri Oct 24 12:02:25 PDT 2008

What a wonderful conversation.
I totally agree with you Wendy... it has to start from within.  
I remember being a teenager in highschool and our teachers were saying
family is the nucleus of society.  "Hmmmmm, what's that about???"  I didn't
understand until I had my own family and realized family is just a
reflection of the big family outside.
How can we work on solving global issues, when we have so many home issues
still to be solved.  I know that the more we work internally, with
ourselves, being true to ourselves, teaching our children to be true to
themselves, this reflects outwards.  That's the way it works!  If we can't
get ourselves, our children and family to be true to themselves, how can we
have the world change?  As they say in marketing, it's the ink-stain, it
starts spreading.  It may not be as quick as we wish, or it may if we remind
ourselves of the tipping point, small things can make huge changes.
Love from Venezuela
Elisabeth

-----Mensaje original-----
De: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] En nombre de Wendy
Farmer-O'Neil
Enviado el: jueves, 23 de octubre de 2008 01:24 a.m.
Para: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Asunto: Re: Hunger

Thanks Ralph for having the courage to frame it this way.

I am remembering during Katrina when some of our community talked  
about helping in some way, and I think there was meditation and some  
phone conferences--don't know if any action came of it.  And i was  
also on a list of sustainability activists at the same time and they  
put out a call, got on a bus and showed up in New Orleans.  The helped  
to set up camps to house those who refused to submit to the Red  
Cross.  They supported the First Nations communities to find shelter  
and food.  They experimented and discovered methods of bio-remediation  
for soil.  They made a difference directly in the lives of those  
affected and the environment.  did our community help or not?  Who  
knows?  I choose to believe that holding space for something makes a  
difference at a level that is hard to measure.

That said,  I invite you to consider us all sponsors, participants,  
recipients, space holders.  The venue--your doorstep.  The time: Now.  
I would like to reword the invitation to read: Supporting Peace,  
Abundance and Thriving on the Planet:  Issues and Opportunities.
You are invited to consider the following:  Where do you live?   
(hint:  it's round, has rolling blue oceans, hangs out in space,  
orbits a big burning ball of hydrogen). Is there conflict where you  
live?  On your street, in your family, workplace, club?  Is there  
hunger where you live?  On your street, in your family, friends,  
workplace, club?  In other words are these 'global' issues present  
within your sphere of influence.  If yes, what would you like to do  
about it this month ( or tomorrow) that would make even the tiniest  
difference?  Every raindrop raises the sea as they say in Dinotopia.   
The solutions we seek are in front of us.  Begging us to embrace  
them.  Sometimes despair and getting stuck at the global level is a  
way of distracting ourselves from the pain that is right in front of  
us that we have the power and agency to change.
So, find a wall in your place of dwelling or employment or  
entertainment. Post topics that you have passion for and are ready to  
take some responsibility for.  Whoever comes are the right people.  
(Even if it's only you.) Whenever you start is the right time.   
Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened.  When  
it's over, it's over.  Be prepared to be surprised.

The space is open. Let's get to work.

It's a silly idea--some of the greatest are.

Are you chewing on any of them yet, Ralph? ;)

Cheers,
Wendy

On 22-Oct-08, at 6:47 AM, Ralph Copleman wrote:

> Hunger is a tragedy anywhere, anytime.
>
> That said...
>
> In my experience, trying to organize a group of process consultants  
> to deal with a specific issue has not worked.  It seems to matter  
> little how deeply our hearts are stirred, we never get it going.   
> Conference calls and meetings get put together, and assignments get  
> accepted, but things have always broken down on definitions, roles,  
> deadlines. etc.  We do not follow through.
>
> OS can be a HUGE and important contribution to any social change  
> movement.  Can we use it to address the challenge of hunger.  OF  
> COURSE we can.  It's a natural.  It's obvious.  We all know this.   
> But that's not the question.  Will we get something done around  
> this?  That's really the question.
>
> My answer to Michael's question?  Yes, it's a silly idea.
>
> Now, please, somebody.  Make me eat these words.
>
> Ralph Copleman
>
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