Marloes Vis van Heemst
December 2021
A year ago, I wrote about my image of a network of light that was emerging. About conscious people, who find the courage to stand up for what they feel is too important to ignore. About how they lit their light and let it shine on truth and love. How the first lights were perhaps the hardest to lit and seemed lonely in the dark. About how the soon got company and gave others the courage to light their light too.
A year later, a lot has happened. I wrote my first Dutch book, in which I explain about what is happening in this time. About the (developmental) process we are in, as a society and as people individually. I also wrote that we may remember who we really are, so that we can work together in the network of light.
I wrote about the process of evolving into something better, while at the same time a lot of darkness reveals.
A friend asked me this spring: what can we do?
Lead by example, was my answer. Show how it can be done differently.
This summer I thought a lot about what that collaboration in a network should look like in concrete terms. I saw a lot of people trying to get organized. But no matter how good the intentions, it often failed. Not because the ideas were not good, but because organizing in the old way no longer works and we are ready for something new.
A way of working together in which we do not longer look for what is expected of us. Filling the time of your life meeting expectations is over. It’s time to feel for ourselves what we have to do. And take action based in that.
I thought and wrote, and then Michaéla crossed my path. She shared her idea for a story competition, Letters to the Future, where we can collectively dream about what we do want. I thought it was a wonderful idea, not only because I’ve been thinking for 20 years that we should start dreaming together, but especially because I felt an enormous enthusiasm to do this.
Michaéla’s courage to share her idea before it was a complete concept is hugely inspiring. Because it gives room for co-creation, participation in an early fase. And people participated! And everyone who joined was told by me: don’t try to figure out what we expect you to do. These are our ideas, now check with yourself what you feel you have to do in this.
And so, we make room for everyone within this movement. Everyone can take their own place in the network of light, that is now called the Great Citizens Movement.
“We may remember who we really are”
Marloes Vis van Heemst is an organizational scientist, but one with a mind of her own. Now that old ways of organizing no longer seem to work, we have to look for something new. Self-management, open communication and working together in a network are the future for her.
In addition, Marloes is the author of the book “De boom in met je idealen”
More Great Citizens People
Read about the people behind the Great Citizens Movement