I attended my first ICF Philadelphia Chapter meeting last month. The group was small, welcoming, and warm; and although they obviously knew each other reasonably well, I was immediately included. I don't take that experience for granted...I am always profoundly grateful when I'm made to feel comfortable in a group of strangers. We met in a coffee shop very early in the morning, clustered together in the back, drinking tea and coffee and lots of water. Sometimes its the smallest markers that let you know you've found your people. With this group, everyone had a journal with them. Beautiful paper, some leather bound, all well-worn, marked-up. And lovely pens chosen with care. In my day job, folks show up to meetings with laptops and put their cell phones on the table. And I'm an outlier writing in my notebook, sometimes even in script, just for the loopy pleasure of seeing curvalicious letters on the page. But this group did things by hand - just like me. The more time...
The idea of connection resonates with me because I get excited from finding or creating meaning from divergent ideas. As a coach, I see connections everywhere - helping people discover and connect with their true purpose, introducing kindred spirits to each other and watching a relationship blossom, supporting mutually beneficial business alliances...these things really speak to my core values. Connections create community and people working together in community can create real and lasting change.
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