Pulling Myself Together

Yesterday I rented a Uhaul and picked up my final two moving boxes from San Francisco and brought them to Alameda. It was like a right of passage riding my bike to the Uhaul place, renting the truck, sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, paying the toll, working my way across San Francisco, picking up the boxes, again sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, dropping the boxes off at my new place, returning the truck and then riding my bike back home. This was bookended with my favorite yoga class and seeing the movie Mama Mia.




Unpacking the boxes this morning I discovered all the little bits and pieces that make a place feel like home. These are the collections of things I brought to London and continued to grow over the years. A collection of glass hearts, hand crafted eggs, my etchings, scarves, and ceramics. Placing them around my place I instantly felt like this is home. Unfortunately there were a few broken items but not bad considering they were shipped from the UK to DC and then on to SF.


Seeing Mama Mia with Rachel and David was the ultimate ending to the day. Meryl Streep, as always, is an inspiration. Clearly I identified with her character as I dreamt last night that I had her long, long blond hair. More than her hair I felt touched by the duality of her character's strength/vulnerability, calm/panic, age/agelessness, creativity/practicality. This photo captures it all, especially the setting - her bedroom in Greece.



After leaving the film we chatted about saving for the future. What is it that I am saving for? Rachel reminded me, the farm and continuing my work in international civic leadership. How quickly I was distracted from my clearly-stated goals during my whirlwind reconnection with Bay Area life.


This image of Meryl stretching herself apart and at the same time pulling herself together while jumping madly on her bed is how I'm feeling these days.

Friends Without Borders

Another goodbye today - this time my Saturday Morning Yoga Ladies from past and present. But this goodbye didn't make me said because I realized that I've made some amazing life-long friends in London as well as Houston and San Francisco.

I've been able to keep up my friendships across the planet through the Internet - emails, voice over Internet, skyping, vonage...I know we'll still be in touch. Plus, everyone is psyched about the Farm idea. I'm going to have to start booking slots!

Feeling the love.

The Farm Dream Evolves

The more I imagine (envisage as they say in the UK) the farm and tell friends about it the more real it becomes. When I talk about it people say, "I can see it". It is very visible to me too.

Simone and I were chatting and we started going off on a riff, as we usually do, about how this farm could be something more and we both had the epiphany of a retreat center. It would be a place where people come from around the country and the world to reflect, explore, create, connect...

As I mentioned in an earlier post I'm launching a business called Leading-Together which is crystallizing into "Inspiring community leadership". The farm is the next step in the business plan. It is a place where people come together to forge partnerships and develop leadership for building peaceful and sustainable communities.

The farm is as self-sustaining as possible - providing its own food, using solar energy, composting, and using well water. It has organic gardens - flower, herb and vegetable, that the visitors help maintain. There is a huge kitchen with lots of windows and plenty of counter tops so that meals can be cooked by groups. I am continuously inspired by the internship I had at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce where Liz Lerma, the former director of the community arts and education program, started every meeting by breaking bread. Sharing a meal is the best way to start a partnership.

There are several renovated barns that provide housing, meeting rooms, artist studios and plenty of fireplaces and cozy nooks for chatting, reading and relaxing. The property is filled with hiking trails for exploring and streams for gazing. With the help of Rachel, Anna and Dee-Dee there are horses, mules and ponies for riding. As my mom says there will be lots of kids around - perhaps school groups, community groups, children who may have never been outside of a city. I see people of all ages and generations seamlessly blending.

I know I can make it happen.