As the Caring for Creation series comes closer to its close, and the spring opens her full glory to us, I thought it would be fitting to finally have a listening party for the April 29th Caring for Creation class. I invited a few of the finest of folks over to my house for potluck and fellowship before listening in on what’s happening in Vancouver.
Alas…. the best laid plans. Our all-star broadcaster, Vida, was having some difficulties with attending the gathering and wouldn’t be able to send out the session on the #ds106radio airwaves. What should I do??? Cancel the gathering?
I looked into the resources and prepared and impromptu discussion gathering and when folks arrived, I was prepared.
But then a wonderful thing happened! We began to just sit and share with one another – our lives, our struggles, our observations. Most of us knew each other, but a few were new friends, and others had much catching up to do. We enjoyed our various food offerings and when it came time to turn over the attention to a video for discussion, we decided, instead, to make art.
I have struggled with inviting others into the spaces I have created this year – both in the digital and the analogue! There have been few folks who have made it to my home and not been whisked away to a local coffee shop or pub. Hosting this lovely group was challenging, and just allowing the evening to BE felt like some kind of risk. In the end, I made a postcard for my boyfriend’s mom. Another woman had her first experience enjoying making art!
Then I thought back to the reading about preparing the way for a world beyond capitalism and I figured we had done just a little work in that direction. No television, no outside entertainment – just people getting together and enjoying each other’s presence.
Sorry to Jan who was trying to listen in to the broadcast – looks like the April 29th show was in the analogue.
That sounds so very lovely, Leslie. Great going. Sounds like this is the first of more such gatherings in your home town.