Diary of a Chapter Leader

Looking for a 2008 Victory

It's November of a really bad year. I'm looking for a victory before the end of 2008. The Presidential election has been over for a week. It seems longer. My leg is healing very slowly. I have very little pain and no problem walking, but need to change the dressings twice a day. The swelling has not gone down much so I wear the same pants, socks and Berkinstocks every day. Last week I bought new pants, but my lower leg is still swollen and the pants are tight. Last night we found some new socks that will work. The thing I'm dealing with now is antibiotics. This is the second round in a month and they're making me sick to my stomach. I have to remember to eat first!

A couple of weeks ago I attended a Sophia Group meeting about an hour away from home. Sophia Group is a women's study group. They usually study something different than the district study material. Every group goes it's own way. Sometimes everyone reads the same book and it works like a book club. Sometimes everyone brings in something to share. Whatever works for that specific groups is OK. So I attended this meeting in Sunnyvale, CA. There were 8 women and I was blown away. Eight very well read, intelligent, diverse women who talk about anything. It was so refreshing to hear women talking with confidence and world experience. I'm going back next month. It works out because it's just 10 minutes away from the park where Kaela trains.

Last Thursday the family went to San Jose to the Silicon Valley CC to a meeting with Cliff Sawyer, the MD leader of the West Territory of SGI. Our family feels at home at the SVCC. Everyone knows us and we are all so happy to see each other. I've known Cliff for my entire practice. We have the same hometown. His mother was the first member in town. He is a good guy. He has done so much for the org., but doesn't take himself seriously. He has a friendly conversational manner. He talked about the state of the organization in somewhat urgent terms. He talked of leaders leading instead of managing. Being busy doesn't mean you are changing anything. Promote members. Don't wait until they are ready, just get everyone involved. I know some of you don't like the idea of everyone having a position. But some members need the position to feel connected.

He also talked about the youth Division. My kids just can't stand most meetings. Hell, I can't stand most meetings. So this month is November General Meetings to celebrate the origins of the SGI. I'm letting the YD plan the meeting. A few things need to be included, but they can do whatever they want. My biggest hurdle will be the WD who give lip service to supporting the YD, but won't like their plan. I'm excited to see what they put together. It will be a fun meeting.

Last night we went to a leaders meeting for our area. My goal was to suggest some YD leadership appointments. Funny thing, someone beat me to it. My older daughter wants a position in our district. I told her she doesn't practice. She told me the meetings are boring. I told her she is now in charge of making more interesting meetings. It's strange how my kids just got involved. We explained Nichiren Buddhism to them and they heard us talk about it their entire lives, but it took another family with two daughters to get them involved.

Kaela has been sick for more than a week. School makes her sick. Her friends have the same teachers and have been collecting her school work. She'll have all that done in a couple of days. Then she's going to Japan the end of this month and will miss another week of school. We are working with her councilor and have plans in place to fix this. Life as a single parent... it's a new challenge.

Posted by nt at November 12, 2008 11:26 AM