Tidbits of Wisdom

Yes, it is Monday. Maria and I, along with our fabulous assistants, Kim and Eva, spent yesterday with six amazing, beautiful, deep, courageous women. As always happens, there are no accidents and the perfect number of people showed up, connected, and supported each other truly in each moment.

To Kim and Eva ... you held all of us with such ease and grace -- thank you!

To Maria ... you are a woman of great courage, strength, perception, and love! I was moved to witness you in action in this land you call home.

My learning?

Today has arrived! Maria and I will be with a small group of women today with a vision that each experience the song inside their own heart and soul, become aware of the negative voices that hold them back, and feel empowered to move through, beyond, and change the world with the song that they are! We are blessed to have our leadership colleague, Kim, with us from London and Maria's "niece-in-law" Eva, to support us.

Are we ready?

Well... I made it! Down to the center of Warsaw and back on the train. I even walked around a bit and took some pictures to prove it. Now, Dorothy, the Lawrence alumna in Poland, helped with that by providing an even easier map to follow than the one Maria had already supplied. Needless to say, I didn't do this trip "alone'!

What I want to write about, though, is a huge learning that began with Dorothy and ended later with Maria.

This is the question which I'm choosing to answer with "Yes!" in this moment. Remember, though, that I've lived in Wisconsin all my life and we don't have subways or trains - much. I have a car, a scooter, a bicycle, and two feet. But train stations with stops that have names I cannot spell or pronounce no matter how hard I try:

Scodmiescle (missing it's accent marks!)
Wschodnia

However, a Lawrence alumna works about 5 minutes away from the downtown Warsaw train station and has time to chat with me this afternoon. With Maria's help,

Well ... Maria went to work today (Wednesday) and I spent some time alone. I did much better with doors today and managed to get in and out of her apartment with ease. Hooray for me!

[it is now Thursday ... time is limited for writing and I suspect will get more and more limited. Will I try to keep this going? I'm not sure yet!]

As for the American in Poland yesterday, I did TRY to talk to people when I was out and walking and in and out of the shops. Maria suggested that. What I found was ... that no store owner spoke English! Some young boys said they didn't, but they enjoyed teasing me and then managed to say "What is your name?" and "Money?" And one of the store owners, when I returned in the evening, remembered my face ... and smiled. I have not been greeted with many smiles on the sidewalks. Guess it is a mix in Wisconsin also - some folks are more inclined to acknowledge a stranger than others.