We all know we're supposed to.  And for many things in our lives, we already do.  We make time for family, make time for learning, make time for our hobbies and friends, if we're lucky (and smart) we make time for taking care of ourselves, and for nurturing our closest relationships.  But rarely (as stated by many of us) do we make time for design.  In the rush to "the thing" (the building) we zip right past the part where we first ask "why" and "how". 

This week we learned we also rarely (if ever) make time for consideration of the greater-whole affected by what we do;  the interwoven biological and social patterns and processes of the world in which we are active participants - not outside consultant caretakers.  We were given the task to just sit, listen, smell, and BE in a place. To essentially 'meet' it for the first time and come to an understanding of how it really works, not just as an exemplary piece of a master-plan or as an assemblage of structures, pathways and places for activity, but as a living breathing place where life occurs that has its own unique rhythms and  patterns, and that is connected to every adjacent place on out into infinity.  Like physical exercise, I would argue this mental exercise, if practiced and repeated over time, would equip us to be conscious of these things more readily, and allow for an ease of assimilation of this train of thought into how we each approach design.   (hint: John's 15 min. in 1 square meter assignment isn't a one-time gig)

This giant magnet has been posted at eye-level on all of my refrigerators for almost 2 decades.  And yesterday I was made painfully aware that though I pass it every day (multiple times), I can't tell you the last time I actually locked eyes on it and read it, or even noticed it.   Merely posting a reminder, no matter how visible or how bold, doesn't really equip you to DO it, nor does it necessarily gather within you the WILL to make it happen.  The sentence needs to be completed - and I would guess mom's intention was to have it be inside our heads, to bring out the burning issue-of-the-day that we're not paying attention to:  ...to find the pattern  ...to ask the question  ...to learn more ...to __ 

After listening to and conversing with John for the last two days, what will you now make time for?