Hi World out there, of course Chuni's note is not gibberish. It is an example of the deep friendships that develop through Open Space, often invisible to others but ever so meaningful! :-}
On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 11:07 PM, <chunili2...@yahoo.com> wrote: > My apologies. I meant to send this as a private message to Suzanne, but hit > the reply button too fast. > > Please ignore my gibberish which only Suzanne would understand :-). > > Chuni Li > New Jersey > > ------------------------------ > *From:* "chunili2...@yahoo.com" <chunili2...@yahoo.com> > *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list < > oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> > *Sent:* Fri, July 1, 2011 10:51:52 PM > *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Open Space - A Celebration of Life (long) > > Did you have a happy Canada Day? > > I had a good day today. I had a long good lunch with two friends and the > conversation somehow moved to my work at MonmouthCares, our Wraparound > practice model, and to Open Space. To most of my friends (who are > IT engineers), my work is abstract yet fascinating :-). > > My cousin from Taiwan (Winnie's sister) and her son (my nephew) are > here. They are all playing ma-jong downstairs tonight. My niece came > home today too from CA. Tomorrow, Chia's mom will be back from Taiwan. > Can you imagine my house? > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Suzanne Daigle <sdaig...@gmail.com> > *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list < > oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> > *Sent:* Fri, July 1, 2011 8:30:14 AM > *Subject:* [OSList] Open Space - A Celebration of Life (long) > > July 1st Canada Day (I am Canadian) on the eve of July 4th US Independence > Day (my adopted country where I live). I still can’t quite believe that > it was only a little over 2 years ago that Open Space came into my life. Two > years ago, I remember it as if it was yesterday and yet it feels like a > lifetime ago! Something happened that day and that weekend that shocked > me, surprised me, scared me and made me feel giddy with embarrassment. > Harrison created a manifesto on something I had written and posted it on the > OS list. http://www.hhowen.blogspot.com/ > > > <http://www.hhowen.blogspot.com/> > > As I recall it now, I felt a bit like Susan Boyle, > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU singing “I dreamed a dream”, > being discovered on the world stage. I had just started to find the true > power and passion of my voice, a voice I never knew I had, a voice that > boldly and bravely helped me step out, speak out, and connect me in > conversations that are as heartfelt and soul deep, the likes of which I > still to this day cannot even begin to describe. I look back to my past two > years feeling such gratitude. Before it’s as if I lived on a street in a > small neighborhood; now I am connected to a community of close friends > across the globe thanks to Open Space. > > > Putting one foot in front of the other, trusting my intuition, facing my > fears and doing it anyway, I am astonished to have facilitated, > co-facilitated or participated in 30 Open Space events. What I saw, what > I felt, what I experienced, and what I witnessed over and over again goes > beyond words. How could I ever explain the unspoken pain and fear as people > take the risk to invite others to something they do not know, that is so > different from what normally happens (sitting in a circle, no experts, no > speakers, no agenda, etc.)? How could I describe what happens in a moment, > in an instant when people rush to the middle, writing and announcing their > topics quickly filling the giant blank wall? How could I capture the > essence of watching people move so purposefully from one group to another, > feeling their intensity, their exhaustion, and their bliss? How could I > ignore what happens when people let go their armor, laughing and talking in > abandon, rediscovering what it feels like to just be themselves, perfectly > imperfect, knowing that they do indeed have much to contribute. > > > For me, Open Space was never a process, a theory, a management tool, a > cult, a religion or a large system change intervention. From the first > time I experienced it, I always knew it was so much more than that, more > than what happens right then and there and more than the end results and > actions that we want and expect. It’s an invitation to come home to the > power of our lives and who we are. > > > Truth be told, I cannot get enough of discovering the layers beneath, under > and around Open Space. I have a longing and a hunger to know more, to > hear the personal stories of others who were touched and affected by Open > Space as I have been, as others have. I crave reading those stories > wondering at times if it is just me, if this is as important as I feel it to > be, if this is too private only to be shared with a few. I dream one day of > interviewing hundreds of people, becoming the journalist that I once was, > writing a “Chicken Soup of the Soul” Open Space book that speaks about what > happens deep inside a person and a group when they experience Open Space and > opening space to their true selves with others. I want to hear and write > about what happens, when people let go, shedding their armor and facades, > allowing themselves to be the best of who they are, working with others to > make this complicated world a better place. > > > > Yes I have much to celebrate this weekend on this Canadian and US holiday > and much to look forward to because of Open Space! Thank you my precious > Open Space friends and colleagues for this wonderful gift, for inviting me > stand on your shoulders to savor this gift of life that so many have > contributed to these past 25 years not the least of whom, Harrison who > originated this. > > 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.dai...@nufocusgroup.com > twitter @suzannedaigle > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org > To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > -- Suzanne Daigle NuFocus Strategic Group 7159 Victoria Circle University Park, FL 34201 FL 941-359-8877; CT 203-722-2009 www.nufocusgroup.com s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com twitter @suzannedaigle
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