What gifts made me wonder about facilitation?

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My son and our family had a beautiful gift of growing up with Aarambh Waldorf - a loving community of parents and teachers who made us see and feel the real joy of parenting and connection to self, others and the world around us. One of the rituals at Aarambh was making hand made gifts for each other. Teachers and children would make cards when there was a child's birthday. Teachers would make beautiful cards for parents when they moved on in their journey. Slowly we as parents also learnt how beautiful this act of creating a gift for someone you care about.

You think about the gift - what would make a good gift? what would this person use? what would bring a smile to their face? what would they like to keep with them for a long time? Then you sit and gather the things you need - using as little or reusing as much as possible - and then actually making it. Not knowing what exactly will emerge - each stroke, each line open to so many possibilities... and then you have something that has never existed before and not available anywhere else... just this one unique piece in the whole wide world! 

Even just making a card (like in the photo above) can be such a thoughtful and deep experience... a dear friend gifted this hand made card to me on my birthday last year.... she so beautifully captured all that moves my soul in this card and I really felt seen and celebrated. 

I look at this card every day as I pass through my room - and it made me wonder how this connects so beautifully with facilitation. 

People gather and meet daily all the time. But how many times in those gatherings and meetings, are we really present? Do we really care about what is going on? Do we engage in ways that energise us? Do we feel a little closer to others in the space? Do we walk away feeling something wonderful just happened there - that added value to us and our work and life? Do we take the time to appreciate the people who held the space? 

When we intentionally design spaces, just like the way we make a gift for a loved one - we take the time time to think, to wonder, and then soak in the joy of the act of creation. And a handmade gift no matter how imperfect - makes the receiver always feel more cared for and loved! Just the way a well facilitated space leaves people feeling connected, cared for, arrived at some meaning and leading to something beyond that moment. 



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