“You may say I’m a dreamer… But I’m not the only one”
That is how a famous song by John Lennon goes. And this is exactly how I felt during my first day with the Blue Arbor Foundation. Through these connections, I found a concrete path.
When I was a child, I longed for a peaceful world, where everyone could be happy and surrounded by a strong, healthy and lush nature. The adults in my life encouraged me to believe in my dreams and the other children, characterized by the same candid vision as mine, gave me the certainty that together we could build that world.
But as we grew up, those dreams gave way more and more to a rationality that dictates goals that bear the name of diplomas, titles, records. However, in a corner of my mind that I kept well hidden from the gaze of others, I admit that I never gave up wanting to build that world. Why did I keep it hidden then? Simple: I didn't think I could feel understood anymore. For as much as I have always believed in the power of will, at times I myself may have ended up calling my ambitions utopia.
Then, last June, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a one-day workshop with the Blue Arbor Foundation. I was excited about the chance to learn something new, to meet brilliant people. At the same time, since I hardly knew anyone except for the people who had invited me, I was also worried that I would feel out of place, perhaps not competent enough. Instead, with immense pleasure and deep gratitude, today I can affirm that I felt exactly in the right place at the right time. I felt right.
When I arrived at the meeting place, a house literally surrounded by greenery in the village of Novaggio, I immediately felt welcomed into the group, as if I had always been a part of it, and my worries quickly disappeared. From the very first moment, I had the opportunity to establish positive connections with the others. Every person I talked to, each with their unique background and diverse knowledge, was a source of inspiration for me. It was clear that we were all driven by the same strong motivation. Put it differently, I had the feeling that I had found pieces of my unspoken dream in them. What made this experience even more significant was the sudden certainty I felt in the possibility of effectively translating simple intensions into real projects.
My sensations were further confirmed by the activities proposed during the workshop, whose goal was to learn how to manage conflicts within the Arbor Hubs. First, by engaging in active listening exercises aimed at understanding others, and later by collaborating with them in the creation of a potential real project, I had the opportunity to experience the process in which ideas transform into tangible outcomes. In this context, interacting with individuals so diverse in terms of backgrounds and skills, yet so similar in terms of ideals, was like connecting the dots and revealed a concrete path to me.
This day with the Blue Arbor Foundation was an important moment in my journey towards my deepest goals. Feeling connected to so many dreamers driven by a purpose similar to mine has indeed reignited my belief in the power to create a positive and meaningful change.
