Rain has been around a lot longer than humans. Sun, too. As long as our species has existed there has been weather, and people have found lots of different ways to handle it.
It’s rough out there. Wars, atrocities, mass shootings, global warming, toxic polarization, free-floating anger and anxiety. As I talk to people around me, I find many are distracted and off-center.
The misunderstandings, assumptions and judgments between generations cause some real conflicts. It is natural for people to believe the way they were raised, the time they grew up and the standards they considered as the norm are superior to other generations’ ways of being. Just like my grandmother and her hand-cranked dryer, it is hard to adopt to new ways.
When my grandmother handed me the wet clothes and told me to “put them through the wringer,” I had no idea what to do. “Go ahead, don’t dawdle. Get those clothes done.”
Thrum. Thrum. Bong. Bong. Step. Step. The sounds of the Queen of England’s funeral events had a somber musical score to match the occasion. A riveting theme for Britain and around the world. Throngs of well-wishers lined the avenues. Some commented that, despite the deep divides in that county and the vestiges of the colonial empire, the event of her death was uniting. At least for a historical moment.
Martha's Vineyard Mediation is part of a national network of USDA-supported farm, agriculture, and aquaculture mediation programs. If you know of any farms, farm stands, CSAs, or agricultural/ aqua-cultural businesses that have conflicts with debt, neighbors, succession planning, workplace conflict, management, or other matters, MV Mediation can help. Most services are free or low cost through USDA funding. We work with farms in Dukes, Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth Counties.
If someone had told me 10 years ago that I might suggest renaming our organization the Pickleball Mediation Program I would have laughed at the joke. I had no way of knowing even what pickleball was or how it would affect our program. A couple of years ago though, it appeared to me that the entire Board and service provider roster were a little more interested in playing pickleball than doing mediations. I, who cannot seem to hit anything with a bat, racket, or paddle to save my life, made fun of the crowd I called "pickleball mediators." We thought about having a pickleball tournament to raise money. We came up with metaphors about the game related to conflict resolution.
My conflict coach asked me a question. I didn't think much of it; she had been asking questions all along and we had developed a good rapport. As a first-time coaching client, I was enjoying the process. Shawra, my coach, had a nice tone to her voice. (The sessions were all by phone in those pre-Zoom days.) She seemed kind.
