Re-authoring our world
April 2, 2020.
Host: Duncan Ebata. Guest: Dr. Chené Swart
In this session, Chené introduced some of the re-authoring practices she brought to the How We Thrive gatherings in Nova Scotia in 2018 and 2019. She first invited us to greet each other in break-out groups of three, as a first step in making meaning together. We then moved into another round of small-group conversations, with the invitation to “share a recent moment in your local community where something shifted/changed in a way that you would want to see more of.”
At the end, everyone shared their reflections in the chat box. See the transcript, read themes and excerpts below.
The importance of connection was the strongest theme.
In this time of social distancing, the disruption of our usual ways of connecting is “fuelling creativity, as we find new and innovative ways to show we love and care for each other. “
We are “realizing that no matter how far apart we live, we are in it together.”
“My hope is that we can keep that door open when this is over.”
We acknowledged that these times are creating hardship for many, but also opening a space of opportunity.
We are recognizing that “small actions have big impact and shift value away from large scale thinking and doing, back to hearts-level work and connection.”
We are seeing “the possibility that our community and society at large could actually make big shifts in how things are done, how people are included, and how decisions are made.”
“This situation is pushing us, systems, and institutions to rethink and redesign.”
The pause in business-as-usual is also allowing us to reflect more deeply and to see what needs to be seen.
“This time is ‘day-lighting’ the tremendous social inequities that exist (access to high-speed internet, food security, minimum wage working poverty, social connection) and I want to find a way to work harder (personally and professionally) for more equity and social justice.”
“The myths we live by are being exposed.”
“This is a time to go deep. To connect with our own stories, to ask ourselves questions.”
“Slowing down to actually see, hear, smell, taste, touch and feel life.”
Many of us felt gratitude for things we had previous taken for granted.
“So appreciating the people who are looking after us, packing food for us, driving the food trucks. Food has taken on more meaning, a reminder and source of gratitude.”
“We are realizing the gifts that individuals have to offer whether that be service or talents. Gratitude is bubbling up.”
“We are reminded again in these times that the simple things count and that is what we should hold on to when the world starts to turn again.”
“The small, the ordinary, the quiet voices and moments are enough. A feeling of plenty, of being full without having to prove anything.”
We began to see more clearly how we could each step in, how we felt moved to contribute in these extraordinary times.
“Commitment to show up with love. Curious how to support my communities existing risk takers, innovators, creatives to continue building connection and helping each other.”
“Local nodes of resiliency. How to create these during this time when it is so obvious we need them?”
“How can we spread more joy in the real world for those who are not online, while being safely social distancing?”
“The commitment calling me is to continue to push myself to connect with people I don’t yet know (or know as well as I’d like) as well as to connect more often with the people I do - and to be kind to myself by acknowledging this isn’t always as easy or natural as we’d like.”
“I have been called to participate in a new initiative that is providing small financial gifts to community members who are struggling at this time, in exchange for a commitment to pay-it-forward through three acts of kindness. It is called Many Small Things, and I would love to share it with this group.”
Find out more about Chené Swart, who is a narrative coach and consultant based in South Africa, and an advisor to the Narrative Project.
Watch this video excerpt of Chené from our call.
From the April 2nd Narrative session. Introduced by Duncan Ebata.