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<DIV>Hi John, Lisa and All</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My 'take' on this is that whenever people come together to treat each other
well the only thing that could happen is that magic emerges ... </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Is this fatalism? </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>My most recent experience of this was last week when Arun Wakhlu from Pune
came to visit with me for a few days. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>His visit
coincided with a gathering that I had organised - or rather had
scheduled in order for him to participate</FONT>. </FONT>It is astonishing
how people with whom we came into contact at this meeting, and at others also,
responded to the feeling of being totally included. Watch this space for
what is now germinating in Asia's World City <smile> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>I wonder how this way of intepreting the principle resonates with you and
with those to whom you bring it to their attention? </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Go well</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>With love</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Alan </DIV>
<DIV>Hong Kong</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=john@johnengle.net href="mailto:john@johnengle.net">John Engle</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> Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:22
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> whatever happens...</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Hi fellow listers.<BR><BR>I know that some have been through
this hundreds of times but I'm wanting to get the most recent reflections on
the principle:<BR><BR>Whatever happens is the only thing that
could've.<BR><BR>My colleagues in Haiti and I continue to have smart people
from a variety of cultures let us know that this principle doesn't sit well
with them. <BR><BR>It communicates fatalism to some instead of encouraging
responsibility. While i'm totally comfortable with the principle, if enough
people tell me that it communicates something to them that is different than
what i'm trying to communicate, there's a problem. <BR><BR>For me, what's
worse is that often times people remember it as: "What happens is that which
is supposed to happen" or "There's a reason for everything that happens." This
can have us sounding like Christian fundamentalist.<BR><BR>We've been
experimenting in Haitian Creole and in English with this:<BR><BR>What Happens
is what happens - learn and move forward.<BR><BR>Here's an example of a text
that would explain this principle:<BR><BR>This principle helps us to not
lament over should’ves, to not wallow in regrets. We’re all responsible for
how we use our time and space together during this meeting. Let’s assume that
responsibility and be prepared to accept what happens and to continually
strive to learn and to keep moving forward.<BR><BR>i covet your
thoughts.<BR><BR>John<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"></SPAN><A
href="http://johnengle.net">www.johnengle.net</A> Open space
facilitation<BR><A style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"
href="http://circlesofchange.com">www.circlesofchange.com</A> Participatory
learning and leadership<BR><A
href="http://harvesttime.cc">www.harvesttime.cc</A> <SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"></SPAN>Harvesting for justice that all may
have enough<BR><BR>telephone Haiti: 509-461-3067<BR><BR>email:
john@johnengle.net <BR>telephone: 202-236-6532 <BR>fax: 202-449-8343
<BR><BR>John Engle <BR>P.O. Box 337 <BR>Hershey, PA 17033 * *
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