Meeting in Hope
Their next meeting was four months after the last, in September 1996. Daniel remembered the date well, because in January so much had started to happen, to landslide in his life. It was to be Thursday 23rd January 1997. The number 23, always felt so significant to him. House numbers he’d lived at, recurring in telephone numbers, pin codes.
They didn’t believe in too many face to face meetings, they could phone and meet one by one as needed. But it was good to get together at least every quarter. More meetings would be needed closer to the time.
For Dan, the court case was over, although the pain of hurting Tara was still there. It seemed he felt her every breath, raw and tender. The company was fined but he wasn’t prosecuted after all, neither was Tara, in the end a prosecution was judged not to be in the public interest. It had been a simple but costly mistake for her and she had suffered for it.
Daniel had overseen the procedures and had originally written clear systems of work. It was down to the company to check and double-check these systems. The prime responsibility lay with the Board, they should have arranged deep dive audits of the main areas of risk as part of their overall management system.
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Several of them travelled on the train together, from St Pancras to Sheffield and then the local diesel train to Beth’s in Hope. Why Hope? On a day like this, when the view from the Midlands train was through a misty haze. But it was hope they needed. Hope. And Beth would have a real fire burning in the lounge of her cottage and they would sit around the 12 seater, black varnished oak table.
Almost everyone was there, only Paul couldn’t make it, one of his kids was sick and he’d had trouble getting childminder. Several like Chas and Robin had travelled across country.
‘Hi Beth, Robin, Chas, good to see you. And a belated Happy New Year!’
‘Crikey! Yes, I suppose it is’ Robin said, ‘nearly February now!’
‘You’re lucky to have missed the worst of the snow,’ Beth said, ‘hope it holds off tonight, otherwise you’ll all be staying here…’
There had been traces of slush in the gutters, smatterings of white on some of the grass verges which remained in shadow, facing north.
‘Coffee?’
‘Please!’ They said in unison.
‘Black for me.’
‘Me too, thanks.’
In spite of the fire, Dan wrapped his hands around the pottery mug when it arrived and sat down at the table. The others joined him.
They had been talking on the train about the next steps, but first Dan asked if it were Ok to summarise progress so far?
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This would be the deciding year. It was the year of Daniel’s original breakdown, he wondered what really could be changed? He was in disbelief, that the cockroach incident never took place on 14th January 1997.
Dan was on an even keel, he wasn’t wound up, angry and frustrated as Daniel had been, to find a cockroach in his mouth while drinking cappuccino in London’s West End!
Daniel had whispered to Dan, once we’ve consolidated our progress then this meeting is more about next steps… Dan knew his inner voice and heeded it.
Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today. (Thich Nhat Hanh)
Daniel thought, ‘if only I’d listened to the idea of inviting Thich Nhat Hanh the first time around – I’d never heard of him!’
‘We thought today, after consolidating progress, that we’d shift focus away from the event, for a moment and look to the follow up, how afterwards we maintain the energy, the flow, the momentum.’
‘One idea, is like ACS to build local groups as part of a wider national association.’
‘But “Creation Spirituality” may put people off,’ said Chas, ‘some people.’
‘It’s all coming together. Yes, we need to think what happens after, to support desire for global spiritual change, perhaps providing workshops, a network of meetings, nationwide and globally.
‘This may be helped by that new whatdoyoucallit…?’ Dan stumbled.
‘The internet,’ said Chas.
‘I suggest we think to 2020, Vision 2020.’
‘We need to raise our sights to 2040, set our sights on 2040 – Horizon 2040 – with 2020 as a significant milestone.’
Beth interjected, ‘If we can harmonise enthusiasm across the conservation groups, environmental wings of political groups, break down the silos boxing them in, then we could have a self-sustaining, cohesive movement.’
‘To do that, we have to hit the right buttons with Groundswell 2000.’
‘You’re right of course, but we have to continue our vision way beyond the event, and plan. Groundswell 2000 is about the future, about seeing beyond, being out of the ordinary…for future generations.’
‘Some artists exude concern for life, for the world, for the planet…there is so much more to the world than matter, material and gossip – there are events, a coming together, a shared experience, a change, a groundswell for change…’
‘How about publishing a book of the thinking behind Groundswell 2000, stories from each of the performers/contributors, what they believe and why, for the future.’
‘And, Davina said, ‘we could work with the Millennium Commission on a film, on sustainability after Rio.’
Daniel knew, of course, about social media campaigns, but could say nothing, except to whisper to Dan that in future marketing would be very different. Today, they were talking about designing fliers and how many they would need to have printed, and the cost of postage!
‘Ok so let’s think about 2040 while we discuss the agenda for 2000,’ Dan said, ‘Remember, we may not all still be alive – I’ll be 74!’
‘Ok, so what do we have?’ asked Dan
‘Welcome by Prince Charles’ – ‘provisional,’ said Paul, ‘but it’s good they’ve given a placeholder, so long as we keep it quiet until they say we can go public.’ And with Prince Charles is Jonathon Porritt.
‘Who’s to read Robert Muller’s prayer, Dream 2000?’
‘We think that should be you Dan,’ said Simone
‘Waterboys, The Whole of the Moon – firmed up already,’ said Robin
‘Words from Dalai Lama (in principle) and Thich Nhat Hanh (confirmed),’ said Paul.
‘Words and song from Annie Lennox, maybe “Saved the World Today” (confirmed)’ said Paul.
‘To intersperse three or more 10 minute video clips on sustainability on key areas of crisis’
‘Richard Curtis has also agreed in principle, depending on Millennium Commission funding, he also offered to liaise with BBC,’ said Chas.
‘Words from indigenous tribes – Yanomami leader – looking possible, expected to be an Amazonian delegation in 1999 – but still to confirm,’ said Beth.
‘A few minutes from charities: WWF, RSPB, Sierra Club, – confirmed,’ said Andrew.
‘What do we think about Al Gore?’ The room went silent…
’Moving on…’ Dan said.
‘Rousing party finish – I still favour Pulp’s Disco 2000! A favourite of mine,’ said Dan, ‘but maybe not the best lyrics?’
‘Keep it in for now, they said they’re interested but need to firm up by 1998’ said Paul.
‘TV It’s got to be a Big Splash! If it’s to help shift global consciousness at the new millennium, about crossing the threshold, New Year, new hopes, aspirations, plans, new visions.’
‘What about Michael Jackson, Earth Song’? asked Beth.
‘That would be colossal! Why didn’t we think…? Please get onto that Beth, link up with Richard,’
‘Sure, will do…fancy a croissant?’
Murmurs of assent all round. ‘Cheers Beth.’
‘Depending on the videos we may need another 20 minutes, although we should probably have an interval and relatively early ending for networking, thoughts?’
‘Agreed, yes say 7.30 start, interval 8.45, close 10pm,’ summarised Chas.
‘2040 then. It’s about actively engaging people in their lives, their dreams, working with a network of global and local environmental charities, centred on creation, on the universe story, on what we must save, what we can change…’
‘And against war!’
‘For peace!’
Dan was listening to the inner voice that seemed to make sense…
Back then, Putin had barely been heard of…he was to be elected in the year 2000, Daniel reflected…his future was but a distant rumble on the horizon.