What Does It Mean to "Do Kaleid?"

Dear Friends,

Good morning! As we lean into the curve of the holidays and round it toward the end of the year, we’ll be talking together about what it means to “do Kaleid” and why we believe that “doing Kaleid” can be a powerful way to embrace inevitable life-transitions.

You may remember that the word Kaleid means “beautiful form” and that it is the same word that is at the root of the word “Kaleidoscope.” 

We chose this name for our community for three reasons. This is why we “do Kaleid.”

First, because we believe that each woman is a particular expression of a beautiful form and that, together, when we shine in composite form, there will be a dazzlingly intricate and colorful overlay of beauty onto God’s world as we each lean into His invitation to our unique work of Kingdom-come in the world. This is why we seek to build a community of women who know one another and celebrate each other. 

Second, because we believe that we love best when we engage new perspectives...when we add new shards of color to the way we see. By continually seeking to engage life more holistically, remembering to take into account perspectives about ourselves, others, and our communities, we are leaning into the Great Commandment by loving God and neighbor as we love ourselves, right where we are. This is why we have our three lenses: See Yourself, See the Other, and See Your City.

Finally, we all know that the best thing about kaleidoscopes happens in the turning. When we hold them up to the light and we turn the kaleidoscope in our hands, we see beauty that is dynamic and inviting. We can lose ourselves in the wonder of the shifting, illuminating patterns. Every woman goes through seasons of transition. They are often unsettling, disorienting, lonely-making, and question-inspiring. While we tend to want to get them behind us, at Kaleid we believe that the power for deep growth and change is in the transition. That is why we seek to actively engage the hard, invite the questions, and offer opportunities during transition times to re-understand ourselves, others, and our place in our communities. 

Over the next three weeks, each of the three Kaleid team ladies (Liz, Saranell, and Karen) will talk about why we “do Kaleid” and what transitions have had to do with our growth. We hope that you will also take the time this month to explore a few questions with us…

What do I embrace about the beautiful form that God has created me to be?

How has a perspective shift caused me to love God, others, or myself more fully?

When have I grown in unexpected ways during seasons of transition? 

We love you!

The Kaleid Team