Sharing Sandra Janoff’s response to my posting the message about the online convening honoring Harrison on the Future Search listserv. For those who don’t know Sandra, she and Marvin Weisbord created the Future Search <https://futuresearch.net/> process. They, too, have a listserv that has spanned about 25 years. She mentions Ralph Copleman, who was also part of this OS community until he passed unexpectedly in 2011. Ralph started a poetry contest around Open Space on this list in 1999. It became an annual event, with the poet laureate mantle passing from poet to poet. Many a smile was had, along with lots of creative expressions of the work. We lost Ralph way too soon. On a lighter note, here is Ralph’s original invitation to the poetry contest: > On Oct 4, 1999, at 5:52 AM, ralphsc <ralphsc@earthlink.net> wrote: > > Dear Open Spacies: > > And now for something completely different > > It's a contest, right here in the open space and you may help select the winner, as well as enter as many times as you wish. Read on. > > As some of you know, I dabble in poetry. One exercise that poetry teachers often assign for young or inexperienced poets is this. Write a poem of only 26 words using the letters of the alphabet, in order, with each letter being the first letter of a word. > > For example... > > Always be careful > Doubt every force > Gathered here in jealous kisses > Let my nearness only press > Quiet, restful stretches together, > Useful verities will x-cite you zealously. > > Okay, so I cheated on the "x". It's allowed for that one letter. > > The challenge/contest: > > 1. Write an alphabet poem, in the style exemplified above, describing open space. The title, if you include one, may or may not be part of the alphabetic scheme (your choice). > > 2. Author of the best entry will receive a free copy of John Adams' just-published new book, > "Thinking Today As If Tomorrow Mattered" (a fresh exploration of how people and organizations can change their consciousness to help save the planet from environmental deterioration). > > 3. You may submit more than one entry. > > 4. You may submit your entries in any language as long as you also supply an English translation (which does not have to be alphabetical). > > 5. After a suitable period of time, I'll compile all the entries into one e-mail and publish it here. Listserve subscribers can then submit their votes as to the best one. Top vote-getter become the winners. I get one vote, too. > > 6. VARIATION: If you prefer, submit your entry in reverse-alphabetical order. > > 7. Why am I doing this? I want to promote John's book, I like promoting poetry, and I think it'll be fun! > > 8. NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. If you have never ever written a poem, so what! Take a whack at it. It's fun. It's good for the mind. And it tickles the funny-bone. > > 9. You may cheat on th "x". > > To help get you thinking, here's a (non-eligible) alphabet poem on open space I did the other day. (I incorporated the title). Yours, of course, will be better. > > > Agendas Beckoning > > Circles debut effortlessly. > Fresh gists, > Honored in juiciful knowing, > Loosen miraculous, new, open passions, > Quenchable, really, > Since time undoes vexatious worry. > X-tend your zone! > > > C'mon now ­ give it a try! Win the prize!! > > Ralph Copleman > Begin forwarded message: > > From: Sandra Janoff <sjanoff@futuresearch.net> > Subject: Re: [searchnet] [OSList] Honoring Harrison Owen > Date: March 29, 2024 at 1:29:29 PM PDT > To: Peggy Holman <peggy@peggyholman.com> > Reply-To: searchnet@list.nea.org > > Dear Friends, > > Thank you, Peggy, for sharing this invitation. It was a bit of a shock to hear that Harrison had died. Harrison was, in systems-speak, a strange attractor and his contribution to our field has been a much-appreciated understanding of how order can emerge from perceived chaos. Open Space philosophy and practice is probably the most applied of the early “large group interventions.” The 1990s was a time of vibrant exploration into complexity theory, large group dynamics and systems change. Harrison was an essential part of this work. > > On a personal note, in the mid 1990’s, Ralph Copleman, a wonderful friend to Marv, me and Harrison, brought Harrison to my house for a get-together. Harrison was so excited about the impact of Open Space and deeply committed to its principles. Marv and I were also excited about the impact of Future Search and deeply committed to its principles. It was a lively and lovely afternoon filled with great conversation and terrific stories. We agreed that “whoever shows up are the right people” and “getting the whole system in the room” are complementary design principles, first-cousins, not competing ways of working. I’m sure everyone in our Network joins me in offering deep sympathy to Harrison’s community of dedicated colleagues. Harrison leaves an enduring legacy. > > Warmest, > > Sandra > > Sandra Janoff, PhD, Director, Future Search Network > Michael Donnelly, Co-Director > Emails: sjanoff@futuresearch.net, mdonnelly@futuresearch.net > See www.futuresearch.net for stories of positive social change around the world. > Sign up for FSN Newsletter: https://futuresearch.net/newsletter > > > > >> On Mar 29, 2024, at 1:08 PM, Peggy Holman <peggy@peggyholman.com> wrote: >> >> Dear friends in the Future Search community, >> >> Some of you may be familiar with Open Space Technology <https://openspaceworld.org/wp2/what-is/>, a practice that supports groups of any size to self-organize around what matters to it, especially around complex or conflicted issues. Harrison Owen, who conceived of Open Space, died peacefully at age 88 on March 16th. Below is an invitation to an online convening to honor him happening on April 8th. >> >> Please share with others you think would want ot know. >> >> Thank you, >> Peggy >> >> P.S. A link to the message below is here: https://oslist.org/empathy/thread/QWKT24OFD4XKU64A57AA5ZVR5VIX2KQH >> >> An obituary for Harrison is here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/harrison-owen-obituary?id=54670619 >> >> >> _________________________________ >> Peggy Holman >> peggy@peggyholman.com <mailto:peggy@peggyholman.com> >> >> Bellevue, WA 98006 >> 206-948-0432 >> www.peggyholman.com <http://www.peggyholman.com/> >> >> Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity <https://peggyholman.com/papers/engaging-emergence/> >> >> >> "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become >> the fire". >> -- Drew Dellinger >> >> . >> >>> Begin forwarded message: >>> >>> From: Suzanne Daigle via OSList <everyone@oslist.org> >>> Subject: [OSList] Honoring Harrison Owen >>> Date: March 29, 2024 at 8:35:38 AM PDT >>> To: OS list <everyone@oslist.org> >>> Cc: Barry Owen <barryowenost@gmail.com>, Lucas Cioffi <lucas@qiqochat.com> >>> Reply-To: Suzanne Daigle <sdaigle4@gmail.com> >>> >>> Honoring Harrison Owen ~ A community comes together >>> >>> "Camden by the Sea, Virtually and Globally" >>> >>> April 8th is when it starts… 10AM Eastern Time >>> >>> Place and Space: on ZOOM >>> >>> https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5694939869?pwd=YUY3Q3puekZ5THljNjFoU2dCTjNuQT09 >>> >>> >>> Greetings! >>> >>> It is time for us to gather and to honor Harrison Owen; to share stories and to express our love for him and each other. >>> >>> Two weeks have gone by since he died on March 16th, 2024. >>> >>> Such sadness and grief we have all felt and are still feeling. >>> >>> The expressions of love and gratitude from around the world for Harrison have been overflowing; the stories of Open Space moving and inspirational. In planning this upcoming virtual gathering, Barry Owen carried the Open Space torch for his dad. Trusting we should leave the space open, not rushing too fast in setting a time and place for us all to meet. It's how it is when we sit in a giant circle, with lots of space in the middle, writing and announcing our topics. It's what people have done, head and heart, with such passion and emotion. >>> >>> Barry also reminded us in the planning: “to not work too hard”. It’s what dad would have wanted, he said. >>> >>> So, he, I and others, have waited until NOW, until the right time to invite everyone. Day by day, the pieces for this future reunion came together. >>> >>> Why not create a Virtual Gathering that has the spirit of Camden by the Sea? Back then, Harrison would simply rent a space, tell people where and when, and that was it. The stories from those days live on, beautiful memories of Camden Maine, the place that Harrison called home to the very end. >>> >>> We then called Lucas Cioffi at QiqoChat. Can you help us? We wanted to take a minimalist approach. As always, Lucas was quick to support our ideas. >>> >>> Together we imagined the Law of Two Feet in action with multiple Zoom breakout areas for conversations and blank spaces to write notes and post pictures. Nothing more. No formal facilitation or hosting, just us, welcoming each other together, holding, and opening more and more space. Trusting this beautiful process of Open Space that is so much more. >>> >>> Harrison’s presence would be felt, as our official facilitator. After all, he’s already opened the space for us and is holding it still while napping along the way. >>> >>> The date of the gathering came to us in a flash. Why not April 8th to get this started, on the day of the Solar Eclipse. There seemed to be such significance to that date, as if a cosmic inspiration, the 8th day of the 4th month of 2024. Harrison at age 88 being the pure expression of an infinity symbol. And indeed engaging 8 billion people in meaningful conversations is a timeless endeavor. >>> >>> We also decided that there would only be a start time (10 AM, Eastern Time), no end time, again in the spirit of Open Space “when it’s over it’s over” which implies that life in Open Space will never be over. >>> >>> The intent is that people from around the globe will flow in and out, on their own time zones for a day or two or more. As for every closing circle, it will be over when it’s over. >>> >>> Everyone is invited: Harrison’s family and friends, our global Open Space community and so many other colleagues and friends from around the world. >>> >>> Please help us spread the word ~ everywhere, anywhere and in any way. >>> >>> With love, >>> Barry, Suzanne, Lucas, and many others >>> >>> >>> Invitation Collage Photo <https://drive.google.com/file/d/14dBqLtCfbD0-eAJgMpqj1B2KqITHPglu/view?usp=sharing> ~ Harrison in Camden and Barry in Nashville >>> >>> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org >>> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org >>> See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org >> >> --- >> >> You are currently subscribed to searchnet as: sjanoff@futuresearch.net <mailto:sjanoff@futuresearch.net>. >> >> To unsubscribe click here: https://listserv.nea.org/u?id=1226441.6cee5454a0e5bc8c695f5c467f0b4f65&n=T&l=searchnet&o=451302 >> >> (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) >> >> or send a blank email to leave-451302-1226441.6cee5454a0e5bc8c695f5c467f0b4f65@list.nea.org <mailto:leave-451302-1226441.6cee5454a0e5bc8c695f5c467f0b4f65@list.nea.org> > --- > > You are currently subscribed to searchnet as: peggy@peggyholman.com <mailto:peggy@peggyholman.com>. > > To unsubscribe click here: https://listserv.nea.org/u?id=1226400.34cac2bd26175e8b5a541e423de8939e&n=T&l=searchnet&o=451331 > > (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) > > or send a blank email to leave-451331-1226400.34cac2bd26175e8b5a541e423de8939e@list.nea.org <mailto:leave-451331-1226400.34cac2bd26175e8b5a541e423de8939e@list.nea.org>

Thank you Peggy for sharing the touching tribute from Sandra. And the quirky work from dear Ralph, whom I first met at an open space conference after he walked the opening circle holding a sceptre and wearing a cape! The kind of lovely, fun professional who would inaugurate an alphabetical poetry contest on the oslist. I remember a tribute poem for both Ralph and Qiqo that feels right to share again. See you on the 8th if timing allows. An open space By internet Can serve During Emergencies Fostering Good conversations Held in surprising Intimacy Just because our Kind faces Linger at the screen Making that Nearby feeling. Optimally a Platform like Qiqo is a Resource Suited To Underpin a Very Welcoming Xperience if You so deZire.