(Photos: Ana Cancela) Two days ago, on the 21st of April'16, Espiga hosted the 30th episode of "Traveling the world (without leaving the sofa)", a free initiative that brings stories about trips and travelers to the space of this Bar/Gallery. Each week a new destination, a new presenter and new stories to share with those who are ready to hear and travel (holding their tea or wine). This week the destination was not a physical place, but a trip around "The Others". For an hour and a half, Edite Amorim presented stories of some trips (Ireland, Barcelona, Camino de Santiago, Israel, Palestine, Macedonia, Austria) not focusing on the places but on the people she met and with whom she created meaningful connections. The focus was always on those encounters, the way they happened, what did they bring and what did they leave on her. Messages of hope, inspiration for daring, courage to continue the path, ways of facing life, beauty, tenderness, kindness,.. Those were some of the messages left by the special people Edite presented, always enhancing the facility behind talking with strangers, welcoming them into the daily routines of small or big trips. Trust, optimism and possibility were some of the importante componentes of all the presentation. After the presentation a space for Q & A and also for sharing perspectives and debating was opened. In a very spontaneous and fluid way all the assistants started to contribute too, sharing their own experiences and most of all, opening a precious space for some deep questions, full of food for thought; - Why do we actually travel? What is it supposed to bring to our lives and what are we supposed to leave when we go away? - What is the role of "the others" in our lives? How much do we allow other people to get closer and what are the reasons that put us back for that? - What is the difference between "strangers" and "people we don't know yet"? What is the distance? - What is the role of Optimism in our daily life? Does an optimistic attitude help in getting closer to those "strangers", and believing they may have something to share with us? - How do we make use of the lucky global situation we live in, with security, freedom and basic rights guaranteed, in comparison with other places where that doesn't happen? Are we taking the most out of it? - What is the role of gratitude, kindness and tenderness in our daily life? Are we using them? Are we valuing them? - What happens with our daily routines that make us go sometimes a bit numb, without noticing the possibilities for encounters right around the corner? - What does it mean to "live a life fully lived"? How can we make the most out of our days? The answers to "What do you take with you from this evening?" shows a little bit of those reflections: Besides being part of a Traveling & Telling initiative, this presentation opened an incredible space for reflection about life in general and for sharing of feelings and points of view among all the people present, like Inês Viseu and Hugo Moura, the hosts of the event, were mentioning in the end. A simple initiative in a thursday evening, talking about Encounters, Life and The Others ended up creating a true space for really special connections in the end, as the final picture with some of the participants shows. THANK YOU for coming, Edite Amorim (This conference was kindly recorded by Renato Gil. The video of the presentation will soon be made available here for those wanting to take a sneak pick of the stories.) If you are interested in the theme of Others and Encounters, here's some reading suggestions!
"Change the way you see everything through Asset-Based Thinking". Kathryn D. Cramer & Hank Wasiak. Running Press. (2006) This is a book that offers useful and practical scientific insights about a way of thinking and facing life. The interesting contents is presented through a very nice aesthetics as well. Nice pictures and layout illustrating an interesting perspetive about "Asset-Based-Thinking". Here's the Amazon review: "This brilliantly simple book on the philosophy known as Asset-Based Thinking, instills success-oriented habits in even the most die-hard cynic. Its transformational lessons--conveyed through unique photographic metaphors and inspiring stories from real people--reveal how the slightest shift in perception can lead to monumental results in both business and in life. ABT is not just positive thinking, but rather a systematic observation of "what works." Kathryn Cramer, an acclaimed corporate consultant, and Hank Wasiak, a creative icon of the advertising industry, have produced a work that looks and works like no other business or self-help book-because it IS like no other book. Change the Way You See Everything is a revolutionary approach to every aspect of life that bears not just reading, but re-reading, and sharing with people in your circle. You'll never look at the world the same way again."
"The Element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When people arrive at the Element, they feel most themselves and most inspired and achieve at their highest levels. With a wry sense of humor, Ken Robinson looks at the conditions that enable us to find ourselves in the Element and those that stifle that possibility. Drawing on the stories of a wide range of people, including Paul McCartney, Matt Groening, Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, and Bart Conner, he shows that age and occupation are no barrier and that this is the essential strategy for transforming education, business, and communities in the twenty-first century. A breakthrough book about talent, passion, and achievement from one of the world's leading thinkers on creativity and self-fulfillment."
Check also Ken Robinson's TEDtalk on the same theme: |
AuthorEdite Amorim - Curious, traveller, entrepreneur, THINKING-BIG's coordinator. Archives
November 2020
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