EACH STEP MAKES THE JOURNEY

During this last week we have been painting the old storeroom in the newly revived Kufunda biodynamic garden. We began the process with some of the YIP students from the Swedish program and are continuing as a village and community with school children, teenagers, mothers and fathers all joining in. I have spent hours at the walls quietly painting leaves and roots of the tree of life, or designing and drawing simple patterns inspired by the Ndebele painting of their homes. Never alone. Always together with others. Every now and then I wonder what I am doing here. I know that in some realities the Director of an organization sits at their desk, works on strategy, external relations, fundraising and so on. I have also come back to offering dance for the school children. Monday with first and second grade, Tuesdays with the third grade.

It is increasingly my experience that these moments - with the children, with the dance, with the painting, with the community work are as important - possibly even more - than most of what I do from my desk.

No, I don’t really want to compare. I don’t want to juxtapose them.

They can co-exist. They must co-exist.

The joy that I experience in the process of painting or dancing or working in the field comes out of the lived experience of being together in a creative process. In it we are building the field of Kufunda: The spirit of the place becomes imbued with these experiences of us coming together in our wholeness, with our hearts and creativity, across the generations. Without these moments - more and more of them - there would be nothing to fundraise for, nothing to strategise about. We are part of a living being, a living whole, that becomes more whole with the depth and presence of our showing up.

Kufunda and the community, the children and the horses are my teachers in this.

They are teaching me that quality of presence, the quality of joy, the quality of truth that we experience or generate in a given moment is key. Out of this flows actions, decisions, priorities, relationships. Each step makes the journey. Out of the quality of our being together arises the very future that we long for and are working to create. It is born anew moment to moment.

An example of what I am speaking of.....

I was concerned about the beauty of what we were creating as we painted and so was not sure about the wisdom of the children being involved in every part of the painting. Alfred, our Waldorf mentor, knew that their involvement was more important than any idea of perfection. He offered them enough structure that with care and deep concentration they could make a wonderful contribution - their wonderful contribution. They did and they came back after school asking if they could continue to help. What a gift their earnest and caring presence was to me that afternoon.

A meeting of human beings, working together with deep care. What is inside becoming visible on the walls of our newly yellow building. The process is in fact beyond words. I feel it in my heart and soul. And when I stop to connect to it, it brings tears to my eyes, and a deeper sense of belonging and gratitude for this life, this journey and this collective expression, in which we say Yes to keep moving, Yes to keep giving, and Yes to keep learning together,