On Fridays we Love Issue 12: Methexis

"A word comes to mind; my favorite songwriter often uses it..." Efi broke the silence of thirty-two people who seemed to be staring kind of lost at the PowerPoint presentation with scattered words and questions.

Nefeli and Katerina Ch. looked at each other for a moment, before turning back to Efi. "Whisper it to me, because we're pretty sure you've got it…" Nefeli said - clearly bewildered that someone had guessed their thought so quickly - and let her whisper something to her for a few seconds.

"She figured it out!" Those words slipped out of her mouth while her eyes widened in surprise. One, two, three moments and the hall burst into applause.

Some of us already knew what was coming in the following months…

"Give me some words about methexis" I used to beg Georgios, one of the four speaker coaches, at least once a week. "I have to give the Welcome to my TEDx Talk options to the audience!" He uncomplainingly obeyed my plea and granted my desire every time, providing me with the longed-for words. However, they were always followed by the same question: "what is it - methexis- to you, Katerina?"

I don't know if I was the only one among those thirty-two, but I was one of those who had more mechanically memorized its meaning than I had experienced it deep inside. Psychic meeting, the moment of completion, the moment when dreams come true. The contact of the world of ideas with the world of the senses. The question of what happens after completion occurs. Methexis. I saw the words every week almost dance before my eyes, beckoning me to follow them. However, I didn't know the steps yet. I learned them mechanically, I presented them to the world, I wrote about them, but I found it still difficult to answer Georgios' question. And I was asking. Again and again. And I always got the same answer.

The months went by without us realizing. Aggeliki was giving instructions to the marketing team. Georgios, Zoe, Katerina Ch. and Nefeli arranged our speakers. Sofia and Angelos were filming the promo videos. Dimitris and Spyros were looking for equipment and venues. Dimitra, Zeta and Maria-Christina organized the workshops. Kallia, Ioanna, Stella, Anastasia and Olga handled the financial and legal matters. Konstantina was preparing the setup. Miltos, Ioakeim, me, Vasiliki and Panagiotis were managing the site and the articles. Alexandros and Eva designed the graphic identity of the event. Elena managed the social media, Efi put up with the communication sponsors, Iliana and Fani coordinated the volunteers. Stefanos chose the presenter and performances. Vivian and Nasos were trying to keep everything under control. It was like choreography. Everyone had their own part, but we all had to synchronize for the finale on stage.

We cried, laughed, got stressed, fought, reconciled, danced, had fun, bonded, loved,  worked together, and succeeded. In less than half a year, people who were once strangers to each other, became our daily contact, our Saturday good morning, our endless meetings, the ones with whom we danced until dawn, the ones with whom we planned something big from scratch .

And one morning in March, we saw everything come alive. The speeches were perfect. The performances were flawless. The workshops were successful.

And at this point, we were happy.

Thirty two words came out of Vivian and Nasos’ mouths. Our names rang out one after the other in the crowded hall, but for me it was as if I was hearing them for the first time. Like back then, at our first meeting about half a year ago. But it wasn't the first time. Maybe with some of them it even was the last one. Maybe with some of them we would lose contact. Maybe with some others, leaving the room, we would become strangers again. But at that moment we were thirty-two people who had at least shared everything for a while.

The curtain threatened to fall like a cloud. As an emotional person, I thought I wouldn't be able to stop crying, but that didn't happen. Our final bow was met with an incredible standing ovation from the audience, but also a "now what?" that resonated within me loudly, with every beat of my heart. And then I realized.

The bell rang. It was my best friend who had come for a walk. The days now flowed more quietly, without meetings until midnight or pressing deadlines.

"Coming!" I called her over the intercom and grabbed the tote bag we printed with this year's TEDxAUTH logo. I looked at it and for a moment I remembered the first design our graphic designers had sent us for the black bag. Somewhere next to the word methexis would be its meaning, as the speaker coaches had presented us that Saturday morning, among questions, words and Efi’s favorite songwriter.

"Maybe I'll finally know what it means..." I had thought when I saw the first drafts and approved Alexandros and Eva’s design.

I smiled and closed the door behind me.

As I was basking in the afternoon sun at the port, with my best friend sitting a little beside me, I opened my cell phone and went on Instagram. Georgios had just replied to my story with the photo of the thirty-two of us on stage.

‘The one where they finally know what "methexis" really means’ I had written in the caption.

"Are you absolutely sure?" I saw his response written on my screen and quickly typed my most honest response.

"Now, I really am!"