May 22nd: What to offer when gathering in a space

May 22nd
People gathered from several places,
and there was a time for the community and the school to face each other and talk.
I had been informed in advance
that this was a space for thinking about the future.
The materials were prepared,
and the explanations continued with just the right amount of detail.
However,
the air in the room
remained uniform from beginning to end.

Every time the conversation reached a stopping point,
even though nothing seemed to be missing,
there was a feeling that nothing remained.
The water's surface was calm,
and no ripples spread out.
Words that would prick someone's heart
like a small thorn
never appeared until the end.

I think there are two roles
for a space where the community and the school exchange words.
Confirming the current situation and
re-deepening the relationship.
The former is safe,
and the latter is a bit unstable.
But,
if we are to walk while facing the same direction,
the one we cannot avoid
is the latter.

The act of speaking
might not be about lining up information,
but about quietly offering
what one holds dear.
Skillfulness or
clarity alone cannot reach others.
Why,
in this place,
did you choose these words?
Whether that reason
permeates the depths of your voice.

When talking about children,
if you only pick out the good aspects,
it is pleasant to hear.
But,
even if you layer only wishes,
reality does not move.
Are the parts where we are feeling our way,
and the anxieties that have not yet become words,
honestly placed on the table?
That sincerity
changes the attitude of the listener.

The idea that
“this is not a place for entertainment”
is also
understandable.
Even so,
being entrusted with people's time
is a responsibility.
Boredom
is not born
only from busyness.
In many cases,
it is the result of the speakercontinuing to stay in a safe place.

Both the people from the community
and the people from the school
have come to this place
carrying their own lives.
Even so, they gathered
because they believed it had meaning.
What could I return
to that expectation?
On the way home,
such a question
followed me quietly.

If
I have the opportunity to stand on the side of the speaker,
I will not offer only safe words.
It does not have to be complete.
I will leave a small snag
inside someone.
I want to believe
that the next dialogue will begin
from there.

The value of a space where the community and the school meet
is not in the calmness of that time,
but appears in
what each person continues to think about
after the meeting is adjourned.
What kind of thoughts
did today's dialogue
make people take home?