Last Friday, a few Saners gathered for dinner in a Middle Eastern restaurant in the Mission. A fun little icebreaker was planned for the diners as they arrived.
(Thanks SMG for reminding me what an excellent exercise this was the first time she and I encountered it earlier this year).
We had placed a pile of postcards, together with some sheets of blank paper and pens, in the middle of the four connected tables and instructed each person to select the card with the image they most resonated with. I then asked everybody to think of the word Happiness and to let that particular word and/or their image inspire them to write 100 words or less.
There were a few mumblings, mild protestations of the type, “What? We have to write something?” or “But I’m not a good writer!”
However all were clearly game to play the game (who doesn’t like to be playful?) And right now is a necessary time to reflect upon a positive emotion. Within a few minutes, everybody’s head was down, peering at their card, focused on the given goal.
The waiter arrived to take our order. As he went around the table, one by one we ordered our meals, put down our pens, and enjoyed the delicious grub when it arrived, conversing with our seated neighbours whilst we ate.
After the plates were taken away, and before dessert arrived, each person was asked to read out their scribblings.
These were some of the results. (I made up the titles).1
Passenger
Traveling across the Golden Gate Bridge, the bus I was on was unusually empty. The driver was driving anxiously and finally stopped at a corner where he left his seat to enter the corner bodega. The door remained open. To my delight, a coyote carefully and cautiously boarded the bus and took a stance at the front, acknowledged my presence and patiently waited for the driver to continue his route. We both got off at the Park; me at the De Young museum, he at the buffalo paddock. Nice day!
Dave the Giant
The Peace of Cold White Fluffy Stuff
In the snow
Becomes the world muffled
Softened, whitened, puffed up,
Brightened, black and whitened,
Clear, enlightened.
The quietness is heightened.
Peace, peaceful, peacefulness.
Nature’s Senses
A Butterfly Flutters By
Oh, Happy Day!
At Age 22, I travelled to Vienna, Austria to seek my fortune. Several years later, I found it giving birth to two beautiful daughters within 18 months, even though I wasn’t married. Who needs a husband anyway? My older daughter, Melanie, was born in June when roses were blooming in the parks. My younger daughter, Jessica, came in damp, dismal November, with my mother, always a good sport, traveling across the world to help. Now I’m a grandmother and the love keeps growing. The day after tomorrow is Jessica’s 41st birthday. Happy Birthday Jessica!
The Wisdom of an Owl
Fragments He Wrote
Crossing space and time
Decline to oversimplify complexity
Reading between the lines
Growing inwards and outwards
Teaching and learning
Building harmony
Knowing I don’t know
A Song Instead
But there was one Saner (one of the new ones) who, together with her husband, had travelled across the Golden Gate Bridge that rainy night. She told us that instead of writing a story, she would rather recite the lyrics to a song she loved. (Being tone-deaf, out of kindness she said she wouldn’t sing it).
If you love somebody
Then that means you need somebody
And if you need somebody
That's what makes you weak
But if you know you're weak
And you know you need someone
O it's a funny thing
That's what makes you strong
Lady, you totally broke the rules but everyone present was delighted by the expression in your transgression and applauded to show it.
It was beautiful what came out of the mind of every person who was there, and especially from the ones who claimed they were rubbish writers, ha to the cute modesty. This was a really fun way for people to get to know each other.
Finally, from moi (aka yours truly):
Jeux de Mots
It was a rainy Friday evening in San Francisco. Not everybody knew each other. But I knew them all and I liked 'em. We sat down after we had picked a card. This was exactly what I wanted to do tonight, with the people I wanted to do it with: play a game, a word game, a seemingly silly (but not at all really) word game, with friends and colleagues. They were all Sane. Sane with a Capital S. I was happy they were there. I decided to say something: Hello, my name is Jet Aime and I’d like to say (turn card):
Thank you to all Sane Franciscans and all readers of Sane Francisco! I’m grateful for your presence in these hard times (understatement) that so many on this planet are experiencing, and I wish a Happy Thanksgiving for those that celebrate this holiday. May you enjoy this day however you spend it.
PS. Don’t forget to find ways to play somehow. And I hope you will keep a prayer for peace in your heart. ✨🙏🏾✨
Sounds like a lovely evening. Happy Holidays to you! 😃
Thanks for sharing this, I'm so glad to have crossed paths with you!