Be Careful What You Wish For!

Last New Year’s Eve, my colleague Helena sent a text message to me asking me to give the new year a name. The words I text back were “Out in the World”. In Appreciative Inquiry, one of the principles is “words create worlds”, emphasising its constructivist perspective. I must say that 2007 truly proved this principle to me. Looking back at my travels during 2007, I will especially remember:

• smelling the colourful flowers at Ulriksdal Castle with my friend Marie. (January)
  
• wandering in the snow in the Alps in Oberammergau in southern Germany with my Mother. (February)


• catching the light in the British Museum in London. (March)
  
• visiting Boston, Cleveland and Washington D.C. all in one week, discovering the essence of social entrepreneurship. (April)


• enjoying Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg’s excellent defence of her PhD thesis in Copenhagen. (May)
  
• presenting an AI article at the IFIP 8.6 conference in Manchester with my friends and research colleagues Anna and Agneta. (June)


• camping with my sister and her family in Motala, jumping out of joy when the sun finally defied the rain. (July)


• meeting my Holmberg cousins and their families at the annual reunion, this time in Vallby in Skåne. (August)


• discovering the essence of walking in the rain during the AI Summer Reflections at Bore Place in England. (August)


• finding new ways to use my camera at the Royal Coin Cabinet in Stockholm. (August)


• listening to the marvellous concert in the old quarry in Dalhalla together with my Frisksport friends, discovering how to do AI interviews on a bus. (September)


• having a magical dinner in Orlando with some new storytelling friends. (September)


• seeing a bird parade in Roswell, north of Atlanta. (September)


• having a truly international lunch in Brussels after investing in some chocolate (all gone now, I’m afraid…). (October)


• wandering all alone in the rainforest at Noosa Heads in Australia after presenting a research paper at the IMTA conference in Surfers Paradise. (October)


• swimming in lukewarm water in a roof pool in Abu Dhabi. (October)


• catching my breath after the steep walk to the castle in Heidelberg, followed by aninteresting visit to the research group at US Army Medical Research Unit-Europe. (November)


• listening for the lions in the morning light in Mikumi National Park during our Metafari in Tanzania. (November)


• cycling on the beach in Worthing in December before going up to London for the first AI UK network meeting. (December)


• taking to train to Upplid in Småland, to have a merry merry Christmas with my family. (December)

I would like to thank all my friends, colleagues, partners and family members - you really have made this year something to remember. Special thanks to Helena for providing me with such an opportunity to create a wonderful 2007 filled with inspiring places and people! I wonder what I will call 2008…

Happy New Year!