The gift of community

Last Wednesday just over 1,000 people gathered together in Minneapolis. They attended 34 different sessions featuring 47 different speakers and panelists, celebrating today's diversity of interactive marketing. There was a certain charm in the exhaustion afterwards.

As one of its hosts, I'll cop to attending the 11th annual MIMA Summit with eyes and ears tuned towards avoiding error. I regret being focused less on the joy of the moment. It's quite easy to get lost amidst the production effort.

But as the memories start to congeal and the recaps pile up, it becomes clear we accomplished more last week than a scarcity of error. We collectively renewed for each other the gift of a vibrant and useful community.

We illuminated ideas.

We shared enthusiasms.

We ignited connections.

We elevated talent.

For the 11th time.

All those who attended, spoke, sponsored and produced in 2012 helped us recognize and re-fuel our community -- ours that has ebbed and flowed since 1998.

What a gift.