Java House Reflections

Debrief has come and gone, leaving me, quite reflective over the lessons that were conveyed and received by the participants. I sit in a coffee shop, reliving a few experiences that left a lasting mark on the place, the participant, the team(s), and me. So often reflection is missed and we forget to the reevaluate our behavior, motives, thoughts, and emotions, and in the process, miss something, something of a return on investment. Reflection adds value to the past experiences, solidifies the revelations we receive, and prepares us for the next season. Yet again, it gets missed.

For me, I've learned much about this relentless pursuit of geographical solutions or really, the lack thereof. There is something to this desire for external factors, changing you without a mindset transition or paradigm shift. I mean, how many times do we seek something else to change and for us to stay the same? Maybe the biggest issue in the room, is the garbage that we bring to the table and the polluted mindset that degrades and stunts the growth of our team. Let that sick in.

Rohr also had another point today that seemed to resonate in me and found true for many of the participants, "the soul can live without answers, but it cannot live without meaning." Again and again, there's a quest for information but never a seeking of purpose and meaning. It is all about the here and now, never the long term application. We feel a sense of entitlement to the numeric and statistical data, without ever batting an eye to ask why. Meaning is so key in development and truly, without which, we are nothing more than a husk. We are shell, a cavity, who is devoid of purpose, potential, destiny, and inheritance. It's not that we lose or have it stripped away, it is that we fail to grasp it.

Control seems to be all we know, or at least, our most comfortable position. When it gets uncomfortable or we fear the risk of losing identity, we automatically fall back into this deathly, poisonous paradigm. Coupled with manipulation, and spurred on by reject, or the fear thereof, control is a powerhouse that derails the purpose of community and in effect, stunts growth and commonality (fraternity). 

I share these as revelations that have been truly enlightening. I cam here not believing I would learn so much and yet here I am in a Nairobi Java House, presenting some lessons and concepts that have instilled such life in me.