Thinking this morning about a few themes:

Times when a small group of people in a small place make something big. Florence around 1500, for instance. Or Canton, SD, when Merle Tuve and E.O. Lawrence were in high school together. Both became world-famous physicists.

Arrangements of space that foster conversation and growth of ideas. Wes Jackson’s barn at the Land Institute in Salina, KS. A well-placed water cooler or coffee pot that becomes a place where people meet and share ideas. Coffee hour after church, where the tables and chairs lead to conviviality.

Not every small group leads to big things. Not every meeting place grows good ideas. But some do.