Building a front porch, before it's too late

This past week I was at my first NWF retreat where an amazing group of leaders from within the organization gathered to evaluate and take a hard look at community building and the act of making connections via conversation.  I was thrilled to attend and being only my 4th week on the job it was an honor being included.  I'm guessing my reputation and background played into getting the invite. 

The concept of a World Cafe was the forum we worked from and at first I was skeptical but seeing how we were given markers and were allowed to write and draw on the table I got excited.  It's why I'm a fan of Macaroni Grill, I get to doodle and draw little starships and Pandas on the table.  The conversations and ideas that got captured exceeded expectations and I learned more in that one day then the past month.

One of the more interesting concepts we focused on was how community and converstation has changed over the decades.
 

Our homes is a perfect example of that change.  My house does NOT have a front porch. In fact most in my community do not.  Think about it, the front porch played a major part in how families talked.  How "back in the day" everybody would gather on their front porch and converse with not just themselves but their neighbors. 

 

Over time this simple home structure has disappeared, over time it became the back deck which facilitated the seperation from our neighbors which further lessened conversing with them.  Because of air conditioning we've gone indoors in the "great / family room" or for many of us we're hunkered down in separate corners of the house to where the computer happens to be.

Maybe I need to change gears, break the AC and build a front porch!   Wonder if that dead tree in my back yard will fall on the deck?  Hello, is this State Farm home insurance . . .

Posted via email from Michael's posterous