A Beautiful and Miraculous Men's Gathering

I was transported last weekend to a container of wonderful "contextuality" among a circle of beautiful like minded men.  It was another dimension in which I entered a timelessness that felt like another life time as so much happened in four short days.  I know my new found brothers and those brothers that I have met before coexist with my life here on the Hiline, as you are all in my heart.  When I think of you, I can still see, hear, taste, smell and touch our experience there, as I carry that in the container of my heart.
 
I would like to thank both Matthew and Patrick for their masterful facilitation of the gathering, and I feel deep joy and appreciation because I value connectivity, contextuality, communication and community.
 
Contextuality is a word I made up after I heard Matthew talk about the concept of how context was more important than content.  Context is about how we relate to something or someone.  Content is the form in which we objectify a concept or a problem that we think we have.  If you focus only on content, you get lost in it.  But by joining in context with each other, being with each other by creating a container in which we listen to the content and simply hold it, and not fix it, what is interesting is that what seems negative to us loses its power over us, and that which is positive and that which we value gains strength among us.  And I think that is the miracle Matthew was speaking about.  Contextuality is what ideally what I like to see happen in community.
 
I also felt appreciation for the opportunity to practice the art of non-violent communication, a concept that Patrick introduced to me during last year's Men's Gathering.  Seeing both Matthew and Patrick both model that practice during the weekend gave me a deeper understanding of the concept and confidence in speaking in that fashion.
 
And I am thankful and most appreciative of all the men who chose to come to the gathering this year.  I hope to see all of you next year!