No one ever said life was easy...

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Fri Nov 20 07:44:17 PST 2009


rSuzanne definitely has a way with words, and fortunately her actions and her words are (most usually) congruent. We definitely have had a rough patch of water, but it seemed to me that it was just one more period of growth -- opening more space as it were. When that happens people get uncomfortable and give expression to their discomfort sometimes in stronger words than the situation might warrant, but there it is. Comes with the territory. And most of all it is a learning opportunity. How do we deal with change without assuming that somebody did me wrong? Personally I just ain't a NINGER -- Praise those who ring that bell, and love to hear what happens on their journey -- but curmudgeon, troglodyte, old foggy that I am, I will be hanging out here like always. 

Reminds me of several years ago and our discussion about OSONOS --- and why did we have just one?  I love the International gatherings and will surely be in Berlin, BUT I think we need to open space anytime, anywhere.... and those who care will come. As an old contrarian I thought why not put out the invitation for the OSONOS-by-the-sea. Marvelous, rich and wonderful, I thought and maybe we will do it again.  Surely it was some new space with new faces.

So life goes on and ain't it wonderful! I have spent the last two weeks wandering between Toronto and Portland (OR) talking to the rich assortment of people who have cared to come. And as always they are the right people. They gave me a gift which I have been trying to avoid for a long time. The time is coming when we must eliminate Open Space Technology. Frankly I think it is getting in the way as we talk about processes and procedures which are only a weak means to a profound end -- our full realization of ourselves as self organizing beings in a self organizing world. That time has not arrived, but it is coming I think.

Harrion. 






Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261

www.openspaceworld.com

Nov 20, 2009 08:50:17 AM, OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU wrote:

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...but there's no other place I'd rather be and that includes Open Space.


I do not really know you, yet I feel part of you. Ifeel part of this “whole” called Open Space, the community I joined last April,the community whose boundaries extend to a collective that’s been there sincethe beginning of time. 

I realize that I “fell in love” with Open Space or theconcept of Open Space because it felt right. It felt right then; it feels rightnow.  Chaos, order, balance, harmony, joy, conflict, confusion, highperformance, energy,  emotions, feeling, self-organizing, sharedleaderships, etc…intellectually and intuitively, I related to all of thesewords and concepts. I saw the connections to science, spirituality, philosophy,community, organizations and living systems.   Wow! 

On a more personal level, I felt the magic of Open Spaceevery time and in every place I went whether as a participant or afacilitator.  The deep relationships that emerged so quickly still bringtears to my eyes. How could this be?  How can this happen this fast?Living in the present is what it taught me above all. Wow!

Today as I see the harsh  words swirling around, as I feel the rawpain and heaviness of them without fully knowing or understanding, I wonder: is this new growth emerging and is something dying in the process?  I think ofHarrison’s recent talks on grief work.  I hesitate to even mention thisknowing that as people feel hurt, we just want to feel it and not be talked outof it or psychoanalyzed.  I’m sure that if I knew all the people, I wouldfeel sadness, compassion and an urge to heal and support as only aself-organizing community can. I would maybe wonder what others are thinking orfeeling, as they judge and reflect. All I can say without knowing toomuch is that this wonderful family of Open Space is very special indeed.  You, many whom I have yet to know and meet,  have built much over these nearly 25 years for which I am grateful.  We are a living example ofself-organization and sustainability with all that goes with it.  Whatever happens,happens.  I just know that the world needs more of who we are and what wedo, in it blooming authenticity!  


Count me in, through thick and thin! 


I look forward to "being" in Open Space and "doing" Open Space for many years to come.

Suzanne

-- 
Suzanne Daigle
NuFocus Strategic Group
7159 Victoria Circle
University Park, FL 34201
FL 941-359-8877;  CT 203-722-2009
www.nufocusgroup.com
s.daigle at nufocusgroup.com
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