Hive Minded

I was really quite nervous about hosting Fish And Bear at The Valley Hive.

I worried that being out in the open might make hearing everyone more difficult. Maybe there would be noises of traffic on the 118 freeway, police helicopters, or noisy trains on the nearby track.

[Sidenote: Why do American trains blast their distinctive horn quite so often? Answers on a postcard to the usual address.]

But I was also worried that no one would come. Or that way too many people would come and it would be too busy. Or that it would seem too simple, or too woo-woo, or alternatively complex.

The slightly extra distance to travel meant we’d have to use our trusty old Toyota (named Tony), which is overdue for a service. And so I worried that Tony might decide now was the time not to be so trusty.

But Trusty Tony got us there with no drama, and it was then that I realized I was not the only one who was nervous: There were hushed voices, twitchy movements, and wide eyes furtively looking around.

And yet that was when my nerves started to diminish, because I’ve been in this situation before, and I knew that this nervous group of strangers would soon feel like the best of friends and neighbors.

As it turned out, my earlier worrying was for nothing: There was no obtrusive train noise. A good number of people came. And the Fish And Bear experience worked its magic to create once again a human connection and a sense of belonging within the group. In fact, (and I can’t believe I’m saying this because I grew up in Port Glasgow) in some ways, it was even more powerful to be outside with our feet on the ground and able to look up at the stars.

During one of the rounds of storytelling, travel became the subject, and this phrase was shared: “Travel helps you to relearn what you already know.” I remember at the time, feeling that to be quite profound in the context of traveling the world and gaining perspective, not just of the new place, but also of where you came from.

And now, reflecting after the event, I see that by traveling to a new location for Fish And Bear, I got to experience what it is like to start it again, and see how it works its magic on a new group of people in a totally different setting. Or in other words, relearning what I already knew.

Not all my memories are super profound though. It will be a long time before I forget the mental image of a tipsy grandfather dancing at a party while dressed in a grass skirt and balloon-filled coconut bikini top, or that it is really important to properly pronounce the Thai word for buffalo. (‘Kwai’ not ‘Kuay’. Don’t be Googling. 😉)

This Thursday we will be back a MacLeod’s Brewery with renewed vigor.

Hope you can be there too.

Mark

xo

Fish and Bear is held every Thursday at 7pm.

Check out our WEBSITE: https://fishandbear.net

https://fishandbear.net

If you fancy reading some of Lynn’s writing, then check out her weekly Notes From The Valley at lynnfergy.com