Space – The Needs’ Year (Week 31)
– Joachim, could you say…? – No! I’m leaving in 10 minutes! The answer came fast as lightning. I was in a hurry, quite stressed and needed to pack the last items before leaving home. I knew I didn’t have enough capacity to both prepare the...
Connection – The Needs’ Year (Week 30)
He had been grumpy all week. It didn’t matter if it was during the community meetings, when we were playing volleyball or during meals. Not a smile crossed his lips. What was wrong with him? My judgments about one of the participants at the European NVC Summer...
Touch – The Needs’ Year (Week 29)
For ten years, from the time I was about seven, I don’t recall many memories of physical closeness to others. I remember a sweaty wrestling game with my friends when I turned ten. I have sweet memories of being close to the girl I was in love with when I was 14, when...
Joy – The Needs’ Year (Week 28)
The first memory that comes to mind when I think about the need for joy is from a small party over 10 years ago with my friends. We are in a house outside Stockholm. We have had dinner together and some have drunk wine. It’s late and one of us has picked up the...
Interdependence – The Needs’ Year (Week 27)
Right now I’m participating in the Midnight Sun IIT in Finland as a support trainer (an IIT – International Intensive Training – is a 10-day NVC course). One topic that has arisen is how we handle the Covid situation. In large parts of the world –...
Competence – The Needs’ Year (Week 26)
A month ago I organised and hosted an NVC online event. 25 participants from many different countries and time zones were gathered and eagerly waiting for the NVC trainer to start the course. We all saw his frozen picture on the screen while he tried in vain to get...
Hope – The Needs’ Year (Week 25)
Later today I will go out and run for the 672nd day in a row. I don’t always find it joyful to go for a run. For a couple of days I have had some pain in my left calf. Sometimes the rain is pouring down. During the winter it’s dark, cold and icy – or even worse...
Support – The Needs’ Year (Week 24)
“Has no one seen anything?!”. In disbelief, I stare at the place where I parked my bike. It’s gone! No one on the outdoor terrace seems to have noticed anything. No one answers. For a couple of minutes I’m in shock and my head is empty. In this...