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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Funda -- I am not sure that Opening Space is such a
minimal contribution to the lives of those who struggle in whatever way. In fact
it may just be the only truly useful one. Physical and social resources are, of
course, essential -- but the capacity to effectively use those resourses is of
equal importantance. When struggle reaches its ultimate stages, it seems that
space just closes down and even the simplest act appears to be beyond the realm
of possibility. In such moments, available resourse, meager though they may be,
are often overlooked and bypassed. Opening space for such people in such times
may provide just the strength and spark they need to enhance their lives and
livelyhood. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>ho</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Harrison Owen<BR>7808 River Falls Dr.<BR>Potomac, MD
20854<BR>USA<BR>301-365-2093<BR>207-763-3261 (summer)<BR>website <A
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com">www.openspaceworld.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=fundaoral@ttnet.net.tr href="mailto:fundaoral@ttnet.net.tr">Funda
Oral</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, August 13, 2005 6:40
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: powerful poem! help me
understand it.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Dear John and everybody,<BR><BR>I live in a city where one can
see extreme cases ( richness and poorness, <BR>joy and powerty so on...)<BR>in
a short distance from each other.<BR><BR>One sees so big problems, and so
strong struggle for life<BR>that sometime the word "open space" looks funny,
silly and luxury.<BR><BR>I still believe that "opening space", inviting people
to<BR>exist, to talk, to express their needs and struggle is<BR>"something", a
very small step maybe, but still helpful.<BR><BR>But it's not enough, the
ultimate aim is to understand their straggle<BR>and help them to get what they
need...we don't need to be poor with the <BR>poor;<BR>sick with the sick ( as
Judi beautifully mentions)...the least we can do<BR>is to open space to
respect them.... but this is only the minimum.<BR><BR>And i am very worried
and sad to see that in many cases all i could<BR>do would be to open space. I
am not strong or rich enough to end<BR>struggle.<BR><BR>I guess we need more
trembling hearts, more resources and better<BR>cooperation for
that.<BR><BR>Funda<BR><BR><BR>----- Original Message ----- <BR>From: "john
engle" <<A
href="mailto:englejohn@hotmail.com">englejohn@hotmail.com</A>><BR>To:
<<A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>><BR>Sent:
Thursday, August 11, 2005 10:17 PM<BR>Subject: powerful poem! help me
understand it.<BR><BR><BR>> hi brendan, kairi and others.<BR>><BR>>
i've never opened space in a prison but i have participated in a <BR>>
touchstones discussion (<A
href="http://touchstones.org">http://touchstones.org</A>) with about 25 men
serving <BR>> life sentences. the discussion centered around "power" and
not <BR>> surprisingly, i learned a great deal.<BR>><BR>> great that
you are doing this! i look forward to following developments as <BR>> you
work toward opening space in prisons.<BR>><BR>> on another subject,
kairi, thank you for sharing that poem in your <BR>> message. i love it!
and, i loved being at OSonOS! Judi, you and your team <BR>> did a great job
at receiving us and making us feel at home.<BR>><BR>> while i love the
spirit of the poem, i just don't know what to do with <BR>> "banish the
word struggle from your vocabulary." how do others see this?<BR>><BR>>
removing the word struggle from MY vocabulary seems like it could have
<BR>> some positive outcomes. at the same time, it's hard for me to think
of a <BR>> better word that describes daily life for so many people. and,
not <BR>> acknowledging this seems like i might be missing something as i
work with <BR>> folks in circumstances so much different from my
own.<BR>><BR>> i'm in haiti as i write and catching up with friends and
colleagues. there <BR>> are at least hundreds of thousands of people
here--some estimate in the <BR>> millions--that don't consume a meal each
day. and when they do, they don't <BR>> know when they'll eat next. i can't
begin to imagine what living with so <BR>> much uncertainty and discomfort
must be like. and i've also learned that <BR>> far too often we who live in
financially prosperous countries romance <BR>> poverty, saying that poor
people are happier.<BR>><BR>> it serves us (people who live in
financially prosperous countries) well to <BR>> see things this way and it
pains me when i have US American visitors with <BR>> me in Haiti and
conclude after a week here that the people are "so happy." <BR>> in many
cultures, those in the southern countries included, it is <BR>> appropriate
to put one's best face forward especially when meeting <BR>> visitors.
those same Haitians who looked so happy to the visitor might be <BR>>
totally stressed out because they're worrying about how they're going to
<BR>> pay school fees for their kids and get a meal together, etc. when
they <BR>> speak in their own language to me, "struggle" projects from
their facial <BR>> expressions, body movement and words.<BR>><BR>> i
would not feel comfortable asking folks who live such realities to <BR>>
remove "struggle" from their vocabulary.<BR>><BR>> thanks for your
patience as i vent and live emotions connected to being <BR>> with friends
in extremely difficult situations.<BR>><BR>>
john<BR>><BR>><BR>> <A
href="http://JohnEngle.net">http://JohnEngle.net</A><BR>> email: <A
href="mailto:john@johnengle.net">john@johnengle.net</A><BR>> P.O. Box
337<BR>> Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033<BR>> tel.
202-236-6532<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>>>From: Brendan McKeague
<<A
href="mailto:mckeague@iprimus.com.au">mckeague@iprimus.com.au</A>><BR>>>Reply-To:
OSLIST <<A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>><BR>>>To:
<A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A><BR>>>Subject:
Re: There is a river flowing now very fast<BR>>>Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005
08:26:54 +0800<BR>>><BR>>><BR>>>"Banish the word 'struggle'
from your attitude and your vocabulary.<BR>>>All that we do now must be
done in a sacred manner and in celebration.<BR>>>aahhh....thank you so
much Kairi<BR>>><BR>>>What a moment to receive this gift - the
start of a brand new <BR>>>day...beautiful and inspiring...today I will
let go a wee bit more...<BR>>>I am about to depart for a day's
'space-making' in a maximum security <BR>>>prison with long-term
offenders..<BR>>>I will be present and holding space with individual men
- my dream is that <BR>>>one day there may be more collective open space
within such confinement...<BR>>>.<BR>>>Anyone ever opened space in
a prison?<BR>>><BR>>>peace to
all<BR>>>Brendan<BR>>><BR>>>*<BR>>>*<BR>>>==========================================================<BR>>>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR>>>------------------------------<BR>>>To
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