The Direction of Intention

65.

Join me in inspiring truly powerful people. Each day I will add a new thought, story or idea to support your quest and mine.

Brother William was the director of the media center at The College of Santa Fe and I was among his many work-study students. This was in the days before personal computers and magic things like Photoshop; we used rulers and x-acto knives, magic markers and graphic tape to make brochures and publications.

Each day at 3:00, Brother Bill would roll from his office a cart draped in white linen carrying an urn of hot water, tea bags, sugar, milk and a sweet – cookies or strawberries. We would stop work and for 20 minutes or so, we would drink tea and laugh and gossip and talk about art or dreams or good books or fine food. We would slow down and be with each other.

I’m not sure how the word got out but soon, everyday at about 5 minutes to 3:00, people would begin showing up in the media center. They would pretend to have a delivery or to be checking on a job but we all knew they’d come for Brother Bill’s high tea. It felt good to be there and there was always enough to go around. Sometimes our guests brought sweets to share.

This simple ritual created more community than almost anything I’ve since experienced. It was during tea that we stopped moving long enough to see each other. It was during tea that we listened beneath each other’s words and heard the essentials. High tea was not intended to create community; there was no other agenda than to slow down for a moment, to take a break and to do it with some attention.

I think about Brother Bill when I think about how great change happens in people or organizations or communities: it is through the simple things, not the grand plans. You’d be amazed at what might happen if you stopped for a few moments and offered those around you some tea.

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