Back In Birchrunville

After an amazing Gathering, I’m back: car to boat to van to teeny tiny plane to van to big plane to bigger plane to van to car and finally home.  It was worth it all.  And why?  That Managed Serendipity I mentioned last posting…and the chance to see a bunch of people I haven’t seen since last Gathering.  And just being on Cortes Island:

The Gathering takes place at Hollyhock, a most magical place.  In amongst the usual unusual Hollyhock programs, we take over the entire place.  Each day starts with people sitting around having breakfast on the big deck looking out over the water…for hours.  Then off to a few talks by some amazing people.  Lunch on the deck for more hours and then a free range afternoon where whoever wants to invites people to come and share in something they’re passionate about.  A long, long dinner…on the deck, of course…and then some evening event including the final night party which went until 5…AM.  Whew!

All that time to talk, to think, to strengthen connections with old friends and develop friendships with new people, to hear about amazing things each person is doing.  For me, there was a particularly nice thing which occurred: quite a few people sought me out to spend an hour or three discussing business or personal issues.  One of them even made a point of announcing to the entire group how I had helped him completely rethink his business…and decide to move it forward.

And for me, all those connections.  Strengthening old ones and creating new.  I wound up with  numerous invitations to visit Whidbey Island in Puget Sound.  There are a bunch of people at the gathering from Whidbey…seems that all Gathering people who decide to move wind up there. 

I spent hours talking about helping The Tova Company use it’s amazing Test of Variables of Attention for corporate purposes in addition to its psychiatric use in identifying levels of ADHD.  With a couple of other people, we did the first reading of the new Kid Pan Alley Musical.  And I talked a lot about Africa since many of the people there are somehow involved in something Africa.

Why, I even met Sammie Rayner and Cole Hoover who are creating a fantastic program in Ghana based on micro finance.   In addition to basic lending, Lumana is adding a full educational program to ensure the borrowers have the knowledge necessary for success.  Hmmm, might just be a project for my Wharton Global Consulting Practicum students in there somewhere.

But enough for now.  You get the idea.  Manage your serendipity.  If you only do what you always do and go where you always go you’ll only meet who you already know.  How boring.

Travel Tip: Cortes Island…leave with more