In for a treat

Oh my friends, you’re in for a treat! On Tuesday, after 6ish weeks of preparation, our inside speakers-in-training shared the drafts of their talks from our pretend-stage for the first time, so that we could select the five speakers you will be hearing on May 21st.  Wowza! Power, vulnerability and true lessons of life, love, forgiveness, purpose and redemption. One man invited us on a journey with his lyrical multilingual spoken word. Another man opened up and shared, for the very first time, a painful story he had kept locked up inside of him for 26 years! Wow, there is magic in watching a man express and accept a part of his history that has festered inside him for over two decades. Over the past few months, we’ve watched another slowly overcome his sheer terror of speaking (not just public speaking) and, on Tuesday, he spoke with resolution and connection, walking us through his step-by-step guide towards… (ah, you’ll discover that on the 21st).

These men are metamorphosing before our very eyes. I think back to December 20th, the first time we met the Core Team. The men were already blowing our socks off with their awareness, openness and respect for each other. Today, they blossom to allow an expression of their deeper soul. They dare to excavate, to interrogate, to really dig deep into the moments that have defined their lives. They explore the stories they have held as truths. They let go of their shackles to fly free. Where there was little to no eye contact, there is now profound connection. Where there was hesitancy, there is now confidence. Where there was force, there is now power.

And… these men still have five weeks to continue refining these drafts into the talks that will blow our minds and hearts open. Oh my friends, you’re in for a treat!