Here’s some picture showing the aftermath following the UPS delivery from my family. Wow. I’m loved.

It’s nice.

[Bigger pictures on the click through - but not better quality]

Here’s the Zingerman’s medley from mom and dad:

My favorite cookies from childhood from the Jonesville Bakery (a little worse for wear!):

And an assortment of bizarre and crappy candy (and condoms) from my sister’s boyfriend ‘Mar:

Yes, that’s a Wii click candy dispenser and teriyaki beef nuggets that smell like dog food! Thanks, ‘Mar!

Thank you!

Monday night, I accepted that my future rested solely on the willingness of others to assist me when I published the blog post $3500 by 11/15? on the Open Forum Foundation website. At the time, the idea of raising $3500 in a little less than a week seemed almost impossible. I expected that each donation would be akin to pulling teeth. I expected that I would get an average donation of about $100. I expected that I would be able to scramble around and call a lot of people and rekindle connections that I wish were more solid. And I expected that somehow through some miracle, I would be able to scrape by and pay rent and get enough money to make it another month.

I wished that I had more time to build the connections in the way that I would like – in a sustainable fashion where each person that I connect with has a myriad of options for getting engaged with the Open Forum Foundation, and where they only do so if they truly believe in the mission and our ability to accomplish it. I don’t want money just because people like me. I want people to get involved and engaged in the things that they’re passionate about, and if my mission is theirs, then let us go forward together and do great things! If not, I wish them the best and am happy to help when and where it’s appropriate.

But I didn’t have that luxury, I just needed $3500 and quick. So I put it out there. I called some people, I tweeted about it, I … asked for help.

Now I’ve been trying to do something good for the world with all the tools and knowledge that I have available, but I have overlooked and misunderstood the most important asset that I have at my disposal: the community of friends, associates, and comrades that I have met and gathered around me. I continually realize that I know so little and have so much to learn.

So in 3 days and only 6 donations, we reached $3500. How do I rectify this with my expectations? My expectations were wrong. People care. People HAVE been looking for an opportunity to help me, and I haven’t been giving it to them.

It is difficult for me to wrap my head around the type of faith that these 6 people have shown in me and in what we are doing at the Open Forum Foundation. I didn’t grow up relying on other people, I was raised to be independent and capable and responsible. I was raised to take care of myself, and this has served me incredibly well.

But not for what I’m doing now. Where there is no monetary return on investment and no self-sustaining funding model, you cannot do it alone. The work that I am doing can only be done if there are people out there who believe in what I’m doing, as well as in me and my ability to do it sufficiently that they are willing to donate part of what they earn to make sure it happens.

I couldn’t conceive of that prior to the last days. Let me rephrase – I could conceive of it. I could understand in an abstract, intellectual way. But not in an experiential manner. Not like now.

Now, it’s tangible. Now I get it. And now, I know that people are watching, expectantly, with trust and confidence in my ability to do something worthwhile. In the ability of the Open Forum Foundation to accomplish the goals that we have set for it.

It changes things. It changes my perspective on Open4m (as I discussed in the other post) but it also changes my perspective on the world around me. Truly, we are all interconnected and we all must rely on each other for life, for experience, for hope, for improvement – both personal and societal. It may seem a bit trite, but it’s true that if we all work together, we can make the world be whatever we want it to be.

The secret to that is getting everyone moving in the same direction. Failing that (as is the most likely result), how about we just settle for giving everyone the opportunity to pursue their own path? I think that in and of itself is sufficiently game-changing for this lifetime.

So let me say to anyone and everyone who reads this: I love you. I thank you. I think the world of you. And most importantly, I will do everything I can with my skills and abilities to give you the freedom that you deserve, both for the betterment of yourself and for the betterment of all humanity.

Sincerely,
Wayne

He puts forth several examples of this throughout history, including Christopher Columbus, who managed to discover America due to a miscalculation on the circumference of the planet. Our friend Chris apparently died believing that he had found a quicker trade route to India.

He goes on to make the point that in situations with “substantial degrees of uncertainty or social unpredictability,” this ignorance remains an attribute – it is, however “little help in routine day-to-day problem solving where efficiency and expertise are wanted.”

I find this reassuring and exciting on two fronts. First, because this is exactly how I feel as I stumble into my work in trying to change the way that decision-makers and their constituents communicate with one another. I know just enough about a fair diversity of industries that the inevitable obstacles don’t bother me at all – on the contrary, I’m kind of looking forward to them!

Second of all, Gigerenzer references how this ‘ignorance’ can be used to positive benefit when stepping into a new situation, in his case – management. By refusing to be briefed on the ‘flaws’ of his new staff, he gave them the opportunity to rise to his expectations with no preconceptions – which they did! I am doing the same thing as I meet people and discuss my work – there are people out there who are negative, and there are people who are supportive. I know that the right people exist that will make this all come together easily — and while having fun doing it.

In these ways, my ignorance IS blessed! What do YOU think?

In his prelude to the discussion on how transparency creates trust, he quotes Alan Greenspan (p 215). These are fabulous! What do ya’ think?

“If I seem unduly clear to you, you must have misunderstood what I said.” – to a Congressman.

“I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”