I had a fascinating dream this morning just before waking up.

 

In the dream, I was the emcee for a large gathering of like-minded people.

 

At first we were assembled at what appeared to be a large fairgrounds-type facility.

 

I found myself leading this gathering, but I didn’t have any real direction for it. But the people who had assembled were all eager, and from several different countries — three from Russia, one from Ukraine, a Brit or two,  and some Africans, but the event definitely took place in the U.S.

 

They were all adults and all seemed eager to get underway, but I had no real idea when or how I had assembled them all, or for what purpose, so I started with some ice breakers to see if someone else might come by who had the slightest inkling about what should be happening following the icebreakers!

 

One thing I told the general audience that I thought could be helpful was, “I’m an introvert (although in the dream, I didn’t feel introverted particularly!), so if you are too, gather near me. And if you’re an extrovert and feel confident getting around in a gathering like this, come see me. You can show us how it’s done!”  (I figured if no one else showed up to give direction to this gathering, at least we’d all get to know each other this way, in a friendly, fun way, and be farther along even if nothing else happened that day!)

 

I also asked, “What bits of fascinating trivia do you know that no one else here probably knows? Anything you learned at your grandparents’ knees or in another country or in an occupation that isn’t commonplace?”

 

I was trying to scramble for some footing and to discern from the gathering what it is they had come for.

 

Now I think the dream may have meant that Lisa and I need to hash out what we want to do with the progressive gathering we’re trying to build on Facebook.  It’s a progressive networking group (virtual for now) and we haven’t had a Zoom meeting yet. We’re still trying to get buy in from more people.  But until we have a better vision that can entice additional involvement, I think we’ll continue to spin our wheels.

 

People buy into vision and direction. Gatherings just for the sake of gathering are fine for families and relatives, who already share fond bonds, but to ask them to invest in a new relationship that will take time away from the bonds they already have, and the responsibilities that go along with them, our group has to offer something beyond icebreakers. We have to be able to offer something that will help progressive entrepreneurs get ahead in their fields.

 

So, I think that’s what my dream was trying to tell me.  What would YOU want to see happen in a progressive networking group?  What measurable benefits do you see to joining up and proclaiming your belief that all people deserve equity in life? I know one benefit is making sure we do business with other progressives, so we aren’t putting money into the pockets of insurrectionist or obstructionist policy makers (and their funders)–which is HUGE–but what other benefits would there be? And perhaps that’s of sufficient benefit. If so, we need to play on that note to get more buy-in. Fewer icebreakers and more vision.

 

I’d like to see GSBA-level activity down here in Tacoma, where progressives are actively supporting and touting the value of compassionate, non-bigoted mutual assistance. I don’t have the bandwidth to run such an operation, but there are people in this community who do. I’d like to find them and see what we can do down here in redder-than-King County Land to help progressives survive and thrive in the South Sound, and everywhere else we manage to reach.

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

Let’s turn the REAL dream/vision into a REALITY down here!  We need to make a showing and let other progressive business owners know we have their backs.