Ethiopian Girl Photo by Heather Plett
A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.
John Steinbeck
True leaders value learning. They value the journey that learning takes you on. They value the questions, the discussion and the connections created.
The journey is filled with treasure and wisdom. The journey is revealing. The journey is fantastic. You never control the journey. The journey is never static…. The journey controls you.
I am a big believer in the “learning journey” being an essential component to the work we do in creating and supporting strong communities.
Learning from the wisdom already present in the people, traditions and environment. Working with what is at hand to create what is needed.
The leaders we need will respect and value the learning journey.
The journey is provocative, transformational and inspiring. These new leaders understand that the journey is hard, and at times painful, but rich. It is both a source of joy and pain.
The learning journey is about listening and hearing. Seeing and believing. It is about letting go of false names, delusions, false memories and histories.
The learning is bathed in humility. We shed limiting beliefs about ourselves and others. We are reborn.
It is the journey of the individual with no promises for success. It is unpredictable. It is not about the point of arrival but about the point of departure. It is where you depart from your old path. It is where the “new” is created.
Yet you are not alone on this journey….you are with good company- artist, teachers, revolutionaries, executives, business owners, problem solvers, writers, musicians and creatives.
The whole picture emerges gradually as a series of revelations, as the journey goes along. The journey controls you.
The learning is sacred and the journey is the medium. In the learning we find ourselves and find our power.
In the Spring of 2012 Heather Plett and I will co lead A Women’s Learning Journey to Ethiopia. Women are playing a pivotal role in creating change globally and we will have the privilege of learning from women who are using their power to transform their communities. We are still working out the details, but I’ll be sure to keep you informed!
In the meantime, just to inspire you, here are some of Heather Plett’s photos from her last trip there: https://www.flickr.com/phot
os/fumblingforwords/sets/7 2157600029752467/