There are special moments we get to witness with increasing regularity in The Village... when two people's paths cross here when they least expect it. There is a sense of bemusement that the world can seem so small, and wonder at the interconnectedness of life. This is a short story about one of these moments.
Last week, one of our small business members, Dan Donahoo, invited around 100 students and teachers from Billanook College to The Village to have a glimpse of the future of work. There is something about the energy of young people that leaves the place buzzing. Here is a pic of the morning briefing.
Before we started the morning, I noticed one of our other members, Chris Kemp speaking excitedly with the school's Principal. Chris has recently joined The Village to work on his start-up non-profit organisation. It turns out that this was Chris was a former student of this school and he had only just weeks earlier been back to visit and present to the students, and many of them recognised him. Furthermore, Billanook College was his first school to partner with him in his organisation's endeavours. When we presented to the students about The Village, Chris was able to bring it to life and help the students connect with how the space is used day to day, and the support it provides that he wouldn't get working from home. Students, teachers, and hosts alike were left thinking "what are the chances…"
On one hand, it seems that these encounters may just happened by chance. However, as our community grows, moments of serendipity like this are on the rise, and I like to entertain the idea that it's a sign that we are onto a good thing.
Just ask me about the person that 5 people said I had to meet who last week turned out to be my new neighbour! I still can't get over that one.