Volunteers Share Specific Like-Minded Values: Part II

There are stories and stories and more stories having to do with the relationship of our project (and myself) with Murat. And, the essential lessons learned thereof. They may be better presented on “Anastasia, The Storyteller” than here. It is too soon to tell how these two blogs will shape up, develop and interconnect.

However, reflecting on the inspiring Core Volunteers meeting held out here at our Harpers Ferry Retreat Center last Friday afternoon, I was reminded of several key subject areas; likemindedness and synergy, that New Horizons has worked hard to build into our model with the aid of Murat’s mentoring.

Not the "knowing about" these" as characteristics to embrace, but "knowing" them deep within ourselves and the critical need for their presence in our interactions with one another. Developing our "knowing" of these has changed us dramatically as a peace-building community over the past years. I wish I had photos to post of the four of us who attended that meeting.

You might even be able to see the glow the presence these characteristics of healthy community life create. Hopefully you know the experience many times over yourselves. The picture I’ve captured most vividly in my mind that I wish I could post looks like this, if you can allow it into your imagination.

Four of us, Sue, Sam, Kevin, a new college student, summer addition-only to our team, and myself are sitting at our sacred “fire circle” in the woods of our luscious property. Kevin and I are each sitting in the brightly colored hammocks I brought back last year from Ecuador.

Sue and Sam form a talking circle with us, sitting on old ratty chairs, relics from before the fire. On a huge rock, nearby (the immense picnic table Sam has donated is too cumbersome for the four of us to get down into the woods, at least for today) sits a tray with iced tea and brownies. We are comfortable among the trees, keeping the midday sun at bay.

In this setting the four of us move into our planning committee meeting. Where will the Small “Zones Of Peace” Project head during the months ahead of the coming quarter, July 1 – September 30? What we decide is not nearly as important as the process by which we develop our plan. We weave our ideas into a blueprint for the coming months – synergistically, a few giant steps beyond cooperation.

Murat describes synergy as the “fingers of one hand working together. I love the definition. It works so well when I am teaching our model. Peace is surrounding us as we meet on this luscious land Friday afternoon. Our working team is building and growing. We know we can look forward to the adventure ahead.

It is evident that our like-minded values on peace building will see us through our anticipated, rewarding projects; achieving our mission to build small “zones of peace” wherever we go; the fun and the challenges. We are assured by the glow our synergy creates. Polarization might be considered the antithesis of synergy.

Likemindedness and synergy are two essential characteristics that accompany the creation of and the sustaining of a small zone of peace.

Volunteer Opportunities With Small “Zones Of Peace” -- Coming next!