In the last three and a half years except for two three month intervals
where I was gone commercial salmon fishing I have read almost every post
to this list. At's posts I have studied. Even those posted during the
intervals I was gone. Almost every day I look forward to this list -- and
At's posts in particular. Why At's?
Because for me they have been so fruitful. I have found them absolutely
delightful. Often difficult. Always delightful. Often wise. Did anyone
not laugh at his recent post, "Ahh....hmmm?" I laughed with delight at
At's posts so many times in so many ways....Thank you, At, for such a
wonderful gift as your regularly high quality posts have been.
It has not been difficult for me to understand why people might decide not
to read At's posts. Shucks, in communities around here far too often even
the "professionals" don't read. These are people generally not oriented
to learning as a significant or positive value. Nor creativity. Often,
however, they (professionals and non-professionals alike) will comment
about the value of education -- shifting the burden from themselves.
This evening I co-facilitated a learning session with batterers (domestic
violence) sentenced to 48 such learning sessions. I find it ironic --
they, too, are wonderfully skilled (unconscious competence) in shifting
the burden from themselves. Usually lacking empathy and compassion they,
too, inflict hurt easily.
Vana Prewitt brought up the topic of passive participants who complain
when they don't get what they want. Yes! And I feel it is a triple loss:
1) loss to the participant who denies herself or himself the creative
opportunity to engage, 2) loss to others of us on this list who might
benefit from their creative effort, and 3) a terrible loss to us all when
the complaining participant also leaves hurt in his or her wake.
On this list with learning as its theme, I have felt those hurtful posts
personally, although as one of those rarely actively participating (yet
uncomplaining) participants, none have been directed to me. In a way they
have astonished me, usually because of what I interpret as their
anti-learning, unforgiving, or simply careless, negatively judgmental
tone.
At's message that he intends to reduce his participation leaves me deeply
saddened. Of course he will live a wonderfully creative life without
participating here. As much as, indeed, he does leave us, it will be our
loss.
I apologize for their hurtful posts.
Best wishes,
Dan Chay
chay@alaska.net
--Heidi and Dan Chay <chay@alaska.net>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>