...................................................................................................: the conversation (dallas)

photo by howard vancleave

this past weekend i got to go dallas to meet 100 other people who want to find ways to positively impact the world in their businesses. there were a lot of writers, mostly non-fiction, socially conscious companies like roma boots, feed the children, and all around entrepreneurs.

i got there friday morning, not really knowing who would be there, not really knowing anything at all actually. but that was the beauty of it.

tammy kling, bestselling author and ghostwriter...you need to look her up. but in the mean time, let me tell you about her heart. generous is an understatement. she let a few of us stay at her lovely home this weekend, and man, can she pick some amazing people. i roomed with a beautiful soul from las vegas named j.c., and after two days of mini-adventures, i cannot wait to see her again. and that's just one of the people! oh, and her family, her husband and two sons...you honestly have never met better people.

my housemates and tammy

the best thing about that night was that everyone had something to say. everyone had a story to tell when we discussed the four topics around the fire: wisdom, impact, blindspots, legacy.

most of the time when you want to "talk" about something, especially for a lengthy period of time with strangers...people clam up or shut down. they don't want to open up to a group of people who might judge them or worse, approach them. they want to stay hidden with their junk, stay quiet with their thoughts.

but these folks were generous with their lessons, their faults, their issues, and their rebounds. they were up front about what didn't work and what did and what finally got them to realize it. it was magical.

nothing came from the conversations, nothing tangible at least. and that's what the world thinks of when it thinks of a takeaway, right? but, conversations like those will last and last, connections will be made, one little nugget that one person said will pop into someone else's head at some point in time...and oh, yeah, i met someone i can talk to about that. i met someone who knows all about that. i met someone who has connections there. the possibilities are endless and lasting. they are tangible, just not in the conventional way.

you haven't heard about this event before, i know. i hadn't either because it wasn't publicized. i doubt it ever will be advertised. because that was the nature of it. the anti-conference. but no less impactful.

here are some more pictures from the event :) i love my new friends! (most of these photos were taken by howard vancleave)