On Saturday, October 25th, two dozen Northfielders met in Tracey Briscoe’s family’s beautiful summer home in Lac Brome, Knowlton, Quebec to select the theme for our 2015 conference. We talked, sang a little, laughed a lot as we sorted through over 50 suggestions for our theme. We shared richly about what makes a good theme: we wanted something we could make visual, that was playful, provocative, inspiring, accessible, and connecting, while it also invoked mystery and appealed to all ages.
After 6 hours of discussion, two equally desired options had risen to the top. While we were nearly equally divided over which would be the absolute best theme, we all agreed that either one would provide the focus for a rich week together next June. Our final choice:
“Walking Each Other Home”.
As your conference co-chairs, we are inspired by the richness of the theme. It creates community, it speaks to helping us get back on track when we have strayed, it is about being with each other, about having quality time, about being where we can be our truest selves. It inspires ideals of comfort, safety, true connection, love. It speaks to providing security to the child who needs guidance getting safely home, to creating homes together as adults, to opening our doors to those in need, and to tenderly accompanying one another on a final journey.
We invite you all to share in the work of adding your imagination and creativity to this theme. Our next planning meeting will be the weekend of December 5-7, at Bob and Linda Giarla’s home in Holliston, MA. We would love to have you there. Our primary task that weekend is to develop our program of workshops and conference hours. A very close second is having fun.
The Northfield Conference 