Indulge in cool ice cream delights

OUT AND ABOUT

Last week immersed me in an Art of Hosting training, working with others to explore ways to move things forward — dreams, hopes, practical projects and plans — exploring ways of doing things differently.   “You never change things by fighting the existing reality,”  says  twentieth century systems theorist and futurist Buckminster Fuller “To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
 Good advice — and feels much more generative than complaining.  ‘Based on the assumption that people give their energy and lend their resources to what matters most to them — in work as in life — the Art of Hosting blends a suite of powerful conversational processes to invite people to step in and take charge of the challenges facing them.
Groups and organisations using the Art of Hosting as a working practice report better decision-making, more efficient and effective capacity building and greater ability to quickly respond to opportunity, challenge and change.’ (from the Art of Hosting website —  www.artofhosting.org)

We were a large, diverse group with participants and practitioners from Europe, the Americas and Africa, and more than anything it felt like time for deep thought, for real connecting conversation creating practical possibilities for next steps.   Key was appreciation and trust.  Trust in the inherent wisdom of the group and trust that we could surface solutions amongst ourselves.  Trust that we would find the right questions to take us deeper into enquiry.
Part of what we practiced was appreciation and gratitude for what we have.
Walking this morning in beautiful Mukuvisi Woodlands, I appreciated first of all the opportunity to do this — to walk in wild woodland within a city — and was reminded of a Bob Dylan song from way back — Tom Thumb’s Blues
When you’re lost in the rain in Juarez
And it’s Eastertime too
And your gravity fails
And negativity don’t pull you through

Negativity often doesn’t pull you through — just drags down the energy and pulls you into depression.  It is a difficult cycle to break, especially when external forces seem stacked against one. But we learned that listening creates conditions for good and that practice makes reality. This methodology is definitely not about hero-based leadership.  It’s about creating spaces for co-creation. If we pay attention to relationships, if we appreciate what each has to offer and if we practise living the ways we want to –  we can work with others to create the kinds of futures we hope for.

That future for me certainly includes good ice cream. With more than a hint of summer in the warm wind, ice cream is one of life’s pleasures. The Gelato shop at 40 Cork Road is one place for delicious ice cream. US$8 buys a 500ml tub (plenty for six) and our taste included toblerone, fudge brownie and caramelised pecan — all rather decadent, velvety smooth and creamy.  And got me into an ice cream making mood.
– g.jeke@yahoo.com