Thursday, May 20, 2010

Limanality = Throwing Up

The term 'liminality' is used by anthropologists to denote 'that situation where people find themselves in an in-between, marginal state in relation to the surrounding society, a place that could involve significant danger and disorientation.' - The Forgotten Ways

This is the exact threshold we are finding ourselves in right now. Ember has about $100 in the bank and we are expected to be in AZ with a team of 8 or 9 in exactly two months. The team is mostly assembled and some of them are having some serious doubts as to identifying and engaging a team of supporters, raising enough funding and actually stepping out to go. Our first big milestone is getting support letters out so that we can purchase plane tickets. Limanality = one of those throw up moments.

To be honest, I've stepped far back from this edge in the past few years. It comes from fear, maybe age and lifestage, and a large disposition to avoid risk. And that disposition was built into me from a very young age - D will tell you that it's a struggle I've had all of my adult life. The idea that "risk is bad no matter what they reward is" is a bad script in my head.

But this is where we learn. We take the step of faith, we step out into the unknown, we commit and make the best of it.

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