The Depth of the LIFE Experience by Lisa Avarello

When the Life: Caring for our Educators and Principals project was approved and, as a project manager of the CSC Danilo Dolci -  one of the partner organizations- it was placed in my hands, I had no idea that it would be a life changing experience both on a personal and professional level.

The topic was clear, in theory, but in practice I couldn’t imagine how it would effectively impact or how much it would engage me.

The initial meeting in Bulgaria was the first experience with this new group of passionate people, in person, and since then the importance of every piece along the way has become clear to me.

The training, first due to its great logistic organization, and second for its great content, enlightened me that much could be learned or better “re-learned” using different approaches, trusting others and the process itself. It is not easy to gather with people you have never met before and be invited to answer, the very first question (that melted our resistance): “where, if anywhere, do you consider home and why?” Intended as a question to get to know each other, it gave me, for the first time, the clear idea that if I wanted to grasp more of the approach, I needed to trust others and my gut. I had to allow myself to truly explore my feelings and be ready to listen to others as they shared personal and intimate thoughts on life events. We began as a group of strangers and soon became “people who cared”.

I truly think that the hands-on experience and direct engagement with the Life Worth Living approach allowed us, people in education on various level, to feel and experience what we would ask of others, the so called “target of a project”, to do and experience themselves. And how would that be possible, if not, by having the same experience in the purest way?

Since that first meeting, my colleagues and I, who are working together in Palermo with the Sicilian group, are always trying hard to be as honest as we can about who we are -  trainers but also individuals who care. We fill our discussions on the planning of activities for our group with our own doubts, hopes and creativity. We work hard and collaborate, each of us with our own attitudes, to share the deep meaning that the Life Worth Living approach and experience had for us in the first place. That place in Bulgaria, in the middle of the mountains, will always have a special place in my memories, as a place deeply connected with personal growth and professional development.