On discovering "the adjacent possible"

 Today I serendipitously discovered the "adjacent possible", through the following series of events:

1. I wrote an article on LinkedIn about analyzing the performance of complex human aggregations
2. In a discussion with Tom Nolle he was talking about the changes in organizational strategies in response to COVID19; in my mind the phrase "change begets change" came up
3. A Google search led me to the Understanding Innovation blog
4. In the sideline of that blog, I found an article about "the adjacent possible"
5. I watched the TED video by Vittorio Loreto
6. I found the Nature article from 2014, read up on Polya's Urn
7. I send a LinkedIn invite to Mr Loreto
8. I wrote this blog post to track my path of discovery

Finally paying attention

I said a few words, to my son at the breakfast table

His mood now seems different, for the day

As parents we wish the best for our children

Though they may not see it right away

I shared some slides, with colleagues on a call

My thoughts now officially recorded

The brilliance in my plans for them to see

Though somehow they seemed distorted

I presented a deal, in a building in New York

To an audience considering to invest

The neighborhood would never be the same

But no one had interest

I gave a speech, to the United Nations

My words full of meaning and sense

The people all smiling and laughing

Except their jokes came at my expense

I pressed a button, in a bunker below a mountain

A final act before my pension

And in that last moment on cable news

My world paid its final attention

Open your eyes

A man opens the door of his car

Reaches inside to grab his license

Shots in the night, a cry, then silence

What was his color?

A headline in the news

Talking about self defense

They thought he was armed

In light of his color

Open up your eyes

Tell me that you see it now

Show me that you know the truth

When faced with all these lies

Open up your eyes

The difference between right and wrong

No matter if you're weak or strong

There is no other side

A family huddled close together

Hiding quietly in the dark

Border patrol lights flashing bright

Do they stay together?

A call to build more walls

To protect our families from harm

Making us great again

Cause patriots stand together

So open up your eyes

Tell me that you see it now

Show me that you know the truth

When faced with all these lies

Open up your eyes

The difference between right and wrong

No matter if you're red or blue

There is no other side

Water from a tap

Foul with metallic taste

A girl quenches her thirst

Is her family wealthy?

Great source of minerals

A temporary creative solution

Federal regulations were met

But now is not the time to discuss

So open up your eyes

Tell me that you see it now

Show me that you know the truth

When faced with all these lies

Open up your eyes

The difference between right and wrong

No matter whether weak or strong

There is no other side