The Eyes Have It
Expectation------A strong belief that something will happen. Thus--was my feeling as I approached the venue for a gathering of thought leaders on the broadly defined environmental and regenerative agriculture space. Anticipation --- another powerful feeling as I anticipated meeting these profound thinkers for the first time, to learn and importantly to feel. There is a certain amount of personal risk. The risk you would learn nothing, a risk you will come to know your own lack of knowledge, come away empty handed. One does not grow and expand without taking risk and therefore, with anticipation, expectation, and a willingness to take the risk the result would be a welcome expansion of knowledge, understanding, and a chance to encounter.
My good fortune….
I attended this gathering
I am just a bond guy spending a career riding interest rates from 20% to zero. Who knew reading a balance sheet would be so important when credit spreads were all the rage. So, with a bag of unrelated talent and limited knowledge I arrived at a magical venue---
The room was long and narrow, not the sort that encourages connectivity or for revealing oneself. The room softened as the organizer spoke of the goals for the next few days and encouraged the assemblage to release the guard rails. A woman who one would not expect to be forthcoming of a personal story was the keynote speaker. She seemed more accustomed to being protective, however, she set the tone by exposing the unique challenges of her life. Sharing the struggles of abuse and pain, she now stood as an example of how one can achieve more through openness as she lives a life of discovery, kindness, love, and accomplishment. Reason enough for the audience to go forward with open minds and hearts. Suddenly the room changed from protection to inclusion and love.
Family offices and venture capital could be viewed as only for the well-heeled rather than the well-worn. However, the sympathy and concern demonstrated by this group would dissuade even a cynic from that belief. Participants did not appear to be concerned with wealth, rather they were concerned for the environment, protection of the planet, and for those most vulnerable to the ravages of centuries of neglect in the name of progress.
The final event encapsulated all that had been learned and achieved during the sessions conducted by well thought individuals who had volunteered their time. In a way the ceremony, conducted by a talented coach, was a “shuffling of the cards”. Participants were asked, while standing in a beautiful garden, to move about and around each other while focusing their eyes on the eyes of another person as they pass by. On three different occasions we were asked to stop in front of the person to focus solely on that one human. The coach gave instructions, we were told to not lose focus but to stay connected to this person through our eyes. As time moved slowly the awkwardness of the moment gradually slipped away. We felt the sincerity and warmth of the person in front of us as our eyes revealed unspoken truths of lives and feelings.
The eyes are the most important sensory organ. This gathering provided the perfect canvas for the eye to absorb the fullness of the physical and spiritual. In a spiritual context the eye is the body’s open door to insight, clarity, vision, the ability to see beyond the physical realm, connection to the soul, truth and awareness. This final forum provided an exclamation point to our visual amazement and hi value knowledge accumulation.
It was this moment which created a further bridge to connectivity. While focused on your ephemeral partner, thinking of the secular world faded to the background. I have set aside my ulterior motives and need to achieve. What I see is the depth of your being, your eyes tell me of the pain you have suffered, the resilience of your spirit and the softness of your heart. You are a human and I only wish to connect in that way. I want nothing from you but your friendship. I want to know what you care about and what I can learn from you. You have experienced much and I am privileged to be allowed inside if even for this moment.
So many gifts were received over these three days, however it was these three people that gave of themselves and of their being that will remain in my heart.
Your eyes are a reflection of your spirit…….