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Olivia Seery
Ireland
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From Dublin to Belfast: The Landmark Forum Arrives
I live in a village called Ballisodare, just outside of Sligo town in the Northwest of Ireland (300 km. from Dublin). I’m a senior medical scientist in the department of microbiology at Sligo General Hospital. I’ve worked at this job for 27 years and over time my job became less and less satisfying. I would wake up each morning and not look forward to going to work – tedium, repetition, and discontent took its toll. It would be 10 more years of the same work before I got my retirement benefits. I wanted to do something about my dissatisfaction. Something was missing, but I didn’t really know what to do nor did I have anywhere to go.
My husband and I had been separated and hadn’t spoken for 10 years. We weren’t bitter, but it was unsatisfactory and difficult given we have children together. Not speaking to one another created awkwardness for us, our friends, and of course, for our children. Friends told me of The Landmark Forum and its impact on their lives. I registered although I was unsure what I would get out of it and flew to London to take it. When I sat in The Landmark Forum, I heard fellow participants speak about shifts in their perspective, insights that they’d received, but I didn’t notice anything of that nature happening for myself and felt disappointed.
However, when I returned to work the week following I noticed myself saying to my colleagues and peers that I had had the best holiday ever. I noticed, much to my surprise, that I was excited about being back at work. Nothing had changed in my work place. I had the same boss, I had the same co-workers, I had the same day-to-day activities, but now I found myself looking forward to getting up in the morning. I found myself being nurtured by tasks I previously had found tedious. I found myself offering to participate in projects that I previously would never have considered. The hospital staff, my colleagues, and co-workers appeared in a whole new light. It seemed like a haze had cleared and I actually began to see who these people were. I found them remarkable.
Several weeks later, I called my ex-husband. This in itself was surprising. I told him that I wanted to have a friendly relationship with him, to interact with him when appropriate. I wanted to discuss our five children and two grandchildren – to have our relationship be one that was healthy and nurturing to ourselves and to them. Out of this phone call and having let go of my resentments and rigidity, we were both able to be present at my daughter’s wedding. This was a complete miracle given we hadn’t spoken for the previous 10 years. We even danced with each other! Again, none of this would have been possible had I not participated in The Landmark Forum.
Since that time I have played a key role in bringing The Landmark Forum to Ireland. Now several hundred people have done the program. We are arranging to train leaders so that we can expand this work throughout the land. We have now had several Landmark Forums in Dublin, and there is an upcoming one scheduled for Belfast.
Obviously, I haven’t done this alone. There is an incredible team of people here without whose partnership this effort in Ireland would not be possible. I would also like to thank the people in Landmark Education, such as David Ure (Regional Landmark Forum Leader for Europe), who have supported us in bringing this education to Ireland. It is a privilege for me to be in a position to make a difference in people’s lives.
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