Conversation Cafe'

Lunch Bunch

A couple of years ago, I thought I'd found a solution for a way to get to know people in Sneads Ferry as Ruth Roskiewich Bland stood outside the Sneads Ferry Community Council doors greeting every woman who was about to go into a meeting with an invitation to attend her new Sneads Ferry Lunch Bunch. I was so excited for a way to meet more ladies, find some common interests and expand my social circle here in the province.

Ruth organized the Lunch Bunch to get together once a month at a different restaurant in Sneads Ferry to meet new people and then to get together outside the Lunch Bunch to share common interests and activities. I enjoyed the gatherings, the people and even got together with several of them outside of Lunch Bunch but soon found myself over committed with other obligations and unable to attend Lunch Bunch for one reason or another. It takes a big effort to keep something going and over time the Lunch Bunch group dissolved but I will always be grateful to Ruth for those gatherings because they helped me acclimate to my new environment in Sneads Ferry.

Unsatisfied

But still there was something ... unsatisfying ... about all my activity. In all the work of community service, I found myself yearning for in-depth, contemplative conversations with other women where I could get to know them on a deeper level and co-create meaningful things with them. And I wanted an easy way to touch base with them when things happen that make me think of them or have something to share with them or find something might help them in their individual endeavors. I was longing for relationships that take a different kind of setting than Lunch Bunch to formulate.  

Scrutinizing

In the meantime, I had taught some satisfying workshops "How to Design the Holistic Business of Your Dreams" and offered Women's Circles at a local yoga studio. But those activities for one reason or another didn't last long either. As I looked back on those Lunch Bunches, workshops and women's gatherings and planned my next attempt at satisfying my yearning for rich ongoing conversation I looked at why the others didn't last and how I could structure something evergreen.

The Workshop seemed to be too big a commitment for most people to make. The venue for the Women's Circle was no longer available to me. And the Lunch Bunches got to be too "busy" to be satisfying. They were at restaurants where you had to order food. Ordering and delivering of food meant interruptions in conversation. Having guest speakers meant we couldn't finish conversations and left feeling incomplete. Raffle tickets for prizes I didn't need or want was just another distraction from getting to know someone. And the well-meaning request for bringing food for local food bank was another encumberment to attending.

Selecting

In planning the Women's Circles sponsored by OSF this was the criteria behind my thinking

·      The gathering would not involve food. No interruptions. People could take care of their dietary needs before and after the gathering.

·      The gathering would be from 10AM to 12Noon - plenty of time to get things done in the morning - right on time to go to lunch with a friend (newly found or otherwise) or get back on track with one's "To-Do" list for the day.

·      The venue would have to be available (rentable) long term, comfortable, with set up included (no more slugging tables around or mopping floors for me).

·      The format would have to be kept simple - no distractions from guest speakers, raffles, bags to stuff, or requests for donations.

·      The conversations would have to be open enough that attendees could get to know one another and structured enough that everyone would get to share and inspire one another.

·      Topics would be set forth to introduce more pleasure, passion and purpose in people's lives.

·      The gathering would have to be affordable - how about free - for OSF female Subscribers.

·      And, there had to be an easy way for people to follow up with one another if they'd like to. Attendees will sign in and (upon approval) OSF will offer contact info to other attendees if requested. And, OSF will recap and send a follow up of the conversations to attendees.

Decision

When you look at contrasting things with appreciation for what they each offered and bring them together in conjunction with inspiration and integrity, it can be incredibly beautiful - turning dreams and visons into reality that support all of us. When you marry your highest vison with grounded action in your personal sovereignty you can experience a powerful combination of events and circumstances.

So, Ladies: Welcome to the OSF Women's Creation Circle - Conversation Cafe' - A space for cherished conversations where women connect from the heart, get to know one another on a deep, meaningful, and supportive level to create their lives with pleasure, passion and purpose. 

To attend, simply Subscribe at OurSneadsFerry.com and RSVP to: Hello@OurSneadsFerry.com. for the next Women's Creation Circle.

May All Thrive in the Province,

Dottie