Writing life's next episodes

Today was a special day for a number of reasons. I presented at a seminário at Universidade de Aveiro alongside Betty Collis and Marina McIsaac.

My work has been (and continues to be) quite invisible in Portugal so it feels good to know that some of the seeds I've sowed and nurtured over the years might grow into flowers.

I paid homage to Sally Mavor, my co-author, best friend and whose son I adopted when she died. We were so inspired by Collis and Moonen's book "Flexible Learning in a digital world" that came out in 2001. Sally would be so tickled to know that I had presented at a seminar with Collis (and Moonen in the audience) at Aveiro, where she too was starting her doctorate. Like I said to Mavor-then-Trayner's son, there's no knowing what's going to happen in life.

It's also what I told him after my lunch with Alvero from FRELIMO. In those days we were a minority rewriting the story about apartheid, Southern Africa, and "terrorists" like Mandela. It all seems quite normal for his generation now they are living in that re-written story . But ... it wasn't always like that! There have to be some people who are prepared to author the next chapters.

A similar sort of question came up in the seminário. It all seems like a good idea but it all seems too difficult to think of communities of practice in Portugal. "No-one" seems willing to take risks, assume service leadership roles or look for ways to contribute rather than take.

Like I suggested in the seminário, and like Marina said to me at lunch, if you persist in taking decisions based on what you are passionate about and what you think is right, then one day things will fall into place. I was inspired to meet Marina, a woman with a history of learning and pioneering to draw on for her encouragement, sharpness and wisdom.

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