Sylvia's Journal

For the first time in a month we are alone and there are no significant events on the horizon, other than watching Faro grow and one short trip for me. We have the house all to ourselves.

The debris from the party have been cleared away, the bottles and cans recycled and Axel is trying to revive the grass dance floor with an overdose of water. Tessa cleaned the floors before hopping on a plane to Florida for a week with her in-laws.

I am returning to my morning routines, abandoned when Faro announced himself five weeks ago.  This includes meditation, lots of water and a diet that did me much good – better than the take out, the pizza, sausages, ice cream and birthday cake from the last few weeks.

I am also returning to a strict discipline of writing one session a day for an e-learning course on change – the first draft should be done by the end of the week.  It’s a little easier to do this at home than at work because in the office there are so many distractions, other stuff to do.

As part of the writing process I am doing a lot of reflection on my own recent change experiences and am finally able to take some distance, look at myself as an observer. As I write about the stages of change, of grieving and loss I recognize every step of the way. Observed experience makes it easier to write about change.

This morning I organized a demonstration for my colleagues in Arlington and Cambridge of a group facilitation tool that I was introduced to only 10 days ago. It helps people who may or may not be in the same place find meaning in the chaotic events and complexity of our times by thinking better together. I added some complexity on my own by trying to getting colleagues who reside in several Southern African countries in on the demo.  I was only partially successful and learned a lesson or two about working with technology from a distance.