Trust: Whatever happens is all that could

“Facilitation is much like sailing. You’ve got to work with whatever arises. That’s my experience. Whatever arises is exactly what is supposed to arise. Whether or not it is convenient doesn’t matter. And that sort of trust is usually the mark of a masterful facilitator. Good facilitators have actually internalized a belief based on experience, that whatever happens is supposed to have happened — even if it is very problematic and unfortunate. And because of that belief, you don’t waste your energy trying to fight what is going on. Instead you try working with it. If the sailor is pissed off because the wind changes direction, it doesn’t do much good.”

~Peter Senge

Learning from our Children’s Wishes

There is power in recognizing our wants and wishes, focusing our awareness towards that which we long to experience in the world. Below is an activity that I did with 1st and 2nd graders. They anonymously wrote I Wish… statements on pieces of paper and placed them in a Bucket of Wishes. Recognizing that which we wish for is a first step in articulating our intentions and discovering ways of creating the life we want to live.

How can we learn from these children’s wishes?

  • I wish to have more friends.
  • I wish I could lrne mor.
  • I wish everybody was happy
  • I want to help the world to be a beter place.
  • I wish nobody will hurt peoples feelings
  • I wish I coude go to Eygpt
  • I wish people would stop the war
  • Be carfol
  • I wish thar was mor peas in the world
  • I wish pepol wloud be treted farly
  • I want to know why my parents think that playing an instrument is so important
  • I wish evey body could go to scool
  • I wish to have more fun
  • I wish everybody had food
  • Lreing to reed more
  • To have more chors
  • I wish my frends wer the frends I thot they wer
  • I wish everybody had a house.
  • I would like everything to be made out of muny
  • I would like to have more play dates with kids
  • I wish I could desofer who I am. I am not jest a gile.
  • I wish people would be truthfull.
  • I wish that stuff was fre
  • I wish I could understand myself.
  • I wish I was able to practice violin, ballet, art as much as I wanted. Right now, my schedule does not allow that.
  • I wish people never get mad without a reason.
  • I wish that animals were free
  • I wish there was peace on earth. No more wars. No cutting down trees. No hurting people.
  • I wish that nobody was mean and evil didn’t exist.
  • I wish people will not shout in my face.
  • I wish if I had more friends.
  • I wish that my brother woldn’t tese me.
  • I wish to help the poor.
  • I wish I still had my old dog.
  • I wish me and my sister would have peace.
  • I wich I could have soomewon to play with at reess
  • I wish my friends would usally appreciate when I try my best.
  • I wish ___ and ___ wouldent be so compative to each other.
  • I wish some of my friends never gave me this look that makes me feel like their mad at me.