Holding Back Tears

Today was the first real lecture. No more of this getting to know each other crap (that was sarcastic.. I loved the getting to know each other crap). Our lecturer was Karl Henrik, the founder of the Natural Step, which we are all here to study, and there were several times where I fought the tears. I was just so happy to finally be among a group that felt like I felt, and hearing his inspirational talk about his experience, and how The Natural Step has helped companies become better corporate citizens. Helped people inside the companies integrate their own human values into their work, and still make a profit. This is the most exciting thing I have ever done. All 50 of us are an experiment of sorts, and I am amazed that I get to be a part of it.

He talked about how even a week before the Berlin wall fell, there were meetings of dissidents who would get together discussing the usual topics, probably filled with doubts, thinking it was hopeless, because no one seemed to care.... no idea that a week week later, somehow, something would reach a critical mass, a tipping point, and two weeks later, an entire way of thinking had been toppled.

It is inspiring first of all to be with 50 people who recognize and care about the way we are destroying the very system that gives us life. And even more so to think that any day, month, year now, a tipping point could occur, and even without total consensus among all the people of the world, (Karl Henrik presented 11% of the population as the "tipping point") the whole system could change.

He talked about Ikea, the first adopter of The Natural Step, he talked about McDonald's Sweden, whose CEO, after following the Natural Step, called him up one day to ask "Does the world really need hamburgers?"

I can't express how great this is. I realize I am still in the "honeymoon phase" of the program, the period where everything looks great, and we love all our classmates/co-workers. but I have moved around enough to realize that this this "honeymoon phase" is much different than anything I have ever experienced.

There is so much more I would say, but I am soo late for an appointment. I am in the process of getting a new blog going that is sharing the specifics of what we are learning. The link will be here soon. I am also hoping to get as many of the 50 classmates set up with their own blogs to share their views as well.

Oh yeah... I also met the Crown Princess of Sweden today. She was here attending the lecture. I have a photo of her and a friend which I will post some day in the future. (not bad looking... not bad at all. - the Crown Princess I mean.. the friend is so-so.)