Hopework-l Mailing List: Re: Hopework-l Digest, Vol 36, Issue 1

[Maggie Sventek (maggiesventek]

Hi John and Lynn,
 
I have been thinking about you so much lately.  I would like to attend the 
dinner on Sunday but I'm wondering if it is okay to bring my 9-year old son 
Evan?
 
We've been at Lake Harriet Community School and it would be nice to get some 
recentering.
 
Please let me know,
 
Maggie : )> From: hopework-l-request [at] hopework.org> Subject: Hopework-l 
Digest, Vol 36, Issue 1> Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:16:12 -0800> To: 
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1. Hopework Supper, Sunday, November 30 (Lynn Englund)> > > 
----------------------------------------------------------------------> > 
Message: 1> Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:27:16 -0600> From: Lynn Englund <lynn 
[at] hopework.org>> Subject: [Hopework] Hopework Supper, Sunday, November 30> 
To: hopework-l [at] hopework.org> Cc: Hopework-L <hopework-l [at] 
hopework.org>> Message-ID: <492B8CB4.3020709 [at] hopework.org>> Content-Type: 
text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed> > Dear Hopework friends,> > 
Happy Thanksgiving! If you're in town this weekend, please join John and > me 
Sunday evening for our last Hopework pot-luck supper and story circle > of 
2008. Details below.> > I had my first Thanksgiving dinner of the season with 
friends last > Saturday. It is an annual tradition for this particular group to 
gather> just before Thanksgiving to assess what our community-by-intention has> 
meant to us during the past year and to express our intentions and hopes> for 
the coming year. As we went around the circle sharing our thoughts,> one woman 
suggested that we were no longer acting as a community> because we do not meet 
as regularly as we used to and no longer have any> group projects that extend 
beyond ourselves because we're all too busy> working. Then she declared that we 
had gone beyond the bonds of> community and were now like family. In her view 
we became like family > when we started believing that we would remain 
connected to each other > no matter what. Whether we saw each other or not. 
Wherever in the world > we were. Forever.> > As we reflected on her 
observation, we agreed that it's the deep> listening we have for each other 
that has made possible for each of us> this extra "net" of "family" 
relationships. It is like having a safety> net below us as we walk Life's 
tightrope. I am grateful to be a> participant in many different groups and 
gatherings at which I have > experienced this extraordinary quality of deep and 
attentive listening. > In its presence I feel alive and find it easy it is to 
be present to > others. I feel real and well-nourished afterward. I hope the 
deep > listening at Hopework suppers and story circles have helped expand your 
> "safety nets," too. Thank you for expanding mine.> > John and I are pleased 
to invite you to the last Hopework supper this> fall on Sunday, October 30. 
Four weeks ago, eleven of us greeted each> other around the table and shared a 
meal. Afterward we went around the> circle to tell a story of a time when we 
had promoted health and well > being by adopting a strategy to either reduce 
something that had a toxic> effect on us, or to add in or increase something 
that was positive for > us. Stories included using the money saved by walking 
to work to buy an > expensive backpack that made it doable; healing a 
psychological wound in > oneself by serving others; taking a risk for oneself; 
searching for and > finding the right home for an ailing parent; avoiding toxic 
> conversations and finding more people with whom to have nourishing > 
conversations; listening and asking questions rather than seeking > solutions 
on one's own; meeting with others to provide mutual support to > sustain 
healthy practices; and paying attention to place--being aware > that it's who 
you know and what you do in a place that gives it meaning.> > Hopework is the 
name that John and I use for the work we do. Hopework is> the practice of 
creating safe spaces for people to get to know and like> each other, and 
finding renewed hope and purpose in life with and from> each other. John and I 
host a pot-luck supper on the last Sunday of each > month September-November 
and January-April as a way to reconnect with > friends who have shared in our 
work and to meet new acquaintances who > share our interests. Each month we 
look forward to greeting new and > long-time Hopework friends, Philosophy 
Camp/Lives Worth Living alumni > and fellows, and other friends and 
acquaintances who share our > interests. Please join us when you can!> > Last 
Hopework Supper this fall> > Date: Sunday, November 30> > Time: Arrive at 4:00 
pm; meal will begin at 4:30 pm. We usually finish> and clean up about 7:00 pm.> 
> Menu: Please bring a dish or beverage to share. I'll provide a> vegetarian 
soup or main dish and water, tea, and coffee.> > Topic: I am interested in 
examining health and wellbeing--what is alive> for us and what we resist or put 
off. This month I'm interested in our> experiences of feeling in charge of our 
health, or of not feeling in> charge of it.> > Lynn Englund and John Wallace> 
The Metro Lofts building> 2650 University Ave West, #315> Saint Paul, MN 55114> 
> 651-646-0069 (home)> 612-710-7287 (cell)> > Map and directions: 
http://tiny.cc/FkhvY> > Park on University Ave. near Dunn Bros., or in the lot 
along the east> side of the building. The entrance is on the east side of the 
building,> just south of Dunn Bros. entrance. Push 300 on the security box to 
have > me buzz you into the building. The elevator is to the right of the > 
lobby. Turn left when you get off on the 3rd floor.> > Dates for Spring: 
January 25, February 22, March 29, April 26.> > Lynn and John> > > > 
------------------------------> > 
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Digest, Vol 36, Issue 1> *****************************************
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