2017 Eastern Washington Legislative Conference

Closing words move attendees to pursue solutions and to hope

Anastasia Wendlinder

Closing the Eastern Washington Legislative Conference, Anastasia Wendlinder of The Fig Tree Board and faculty member at Gonzaga University, called for pausing to let the material of the day “sink into our being.”

“May we clear the thoughts and emotions evoked by many problems of these times and the many solutions evoked in this gathering,” she said.

Anastasia then quoted from a prayer from author John Jacob Gardner of Seattle University calling for commitment to “build a new earth, a place of wholeness and diversity, so we can transform our organizations into communities, places of compassion and care.” 

He calls for leaders to affirm and renew values to release new possibilities, so “connection, not acquisition, is the primary motivator.”

He envisions a leadership circle in which people find their niche to help.

“Fill the space in our hearts with hope, energy, resolve and mercy as we move into the world to do this work,” she said.

Copyright © March 2017 - The Fig Tree