<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><div><div>Dear friends,<br><br>Coming out of a three-day Open Space in New York City two weeks ago to the day, I cannot help but observe the depth of the connections, the high energy, and the strong spirit of bonding and community that resulted from our time together. New and old colleagues now friends for life, of that I have no doubt. Not at all unusual in Open Space!<br>
<br>Whether on Facebook, on the OS list, in private emails, Skype chats or via other means, the theme and all the conversations continue to reverberate feeding passion and many projects <b>because </b>we spent a sizable chunk of time together.<br>
<br></div>So as I read Douglas Germann's most recent poem (see below) from a rich archive of amazing Footprints in the Wind, I felt it was written to make the case for a powerful invitation...to ask for more "time and space" rather than settling for a few hours or half a day. <br>
<br></div><div>Certainly the opportunities and challenges and the passion and responsibility we feel warrant this time and space<br></div><div><br></div>I see this poem as our Clarion Call...a call that could lead to breakthrough thinking and doing, where we might realize that 99% of what we are doing now, is for naught and then maybe if we realize that, we could get to work on the really important stuff. <br>
<br></div>Thank you Douglas and if any of you are not familiar with Footprints in the Wind, I urge you to register and be inspired as I am and have been so often by Doug's thought provoking poetry.<br><br></div>With deep appreciation,<br>
</div>Suzanne <br><div><div>
<div><div><div><div><div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">doug</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:Footprints@footprintsinthewind.com" target="_blank">Footprints@footprintsinthewind.com</a>></span><br>
Date: Sat, Feb 1, 2014 at 8:02 PM<br>Subject: Footprints in the Wind^sm # 1393<br>To: "76066.515" <<a href="mailto:76066.515@compuserve.com" target="_blank">76066.515@compuserve.com</a>><br><br><br>
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<div align="center"><b><font size="5">Footprints in the Wind^sm #
1393</font></b></div>
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When you invite</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">ask of each something difficult—</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">three days
of their lives, a week entire</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">commitment, active
commitment</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">responsibility taken up for what
they love</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">sacred
life substance spilled—sweat...tears...blood</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">work, effort full
work against unfavorable forces</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">—something hard to give</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">a
thing of great worth</font></big><br>
<br>
<big><font face="serif">Spilt blood you need not ask every
time</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">yet keep this symbol in your gut</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">if it's worth gathering
at all</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">ask for more than you dare</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">a thing of great cost</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">for
you to ask, for them to give</font></big><br>
<big><font face="serif">This is the only thing worth
inviting</font></big><br>
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<div align="center"><b><font color="#3366ff">Please pass it on.</font></b></div>
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<div align="center">By Douglas D. Germann, Sr. <i>© c 2014,
Learning Works, Incorporated. All rights reserved.</i></div>
<br>
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reprint permissions: Footprints AT FootprintsintheWind DOT com,
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