This speech here gives me so much hope. The reason that prompted it upsets me greatly, but every time I watch this, I swell with pride for the humans among us who stand up for goodness, who use their positions and privileges to help make the world better for others, and who refuse to let hate win.
Thank you, Senator McMorrow. You are a world-changer, and I am so grateful for your courage, your strength, and your goodness.
This is an amazing keynote talk my friend Ish gave in 2019 at Swiftfest Boston. Swiftfest is a conference for iOS developers, but this isn’t a talk about formulas and code. It’s a talk about Life and Goodness. About breaking out of boundaries and fears and taking steps towards following our dreams. It’s about enjoying life’s moments and not taking our loved ones for granted. It’s about the actions we take that can change people’s lives. And it’s about finding our purpose.
I know that in our rush society, people seem to want short snippets of videos and audio while they’re going about their days, so 25 minutes is an investment. But–if I may–you owe it to yourself to watch this. If you notice the tags below, this video covers just about everything. (The original talk isn’t allowed to be posted, so I’m beyond grateful Ish has put this together.)
Ish has a way of speaking and thinking that puts people at ease and helps them tap into their true selves. Even before I became close friends with him, he’d ask me how I was doing in such a sincere way, that I always stopped in my tracks to truly reflect and consider how I was, instead of resorting to the automatic, “Fine. And you?”. He’s the guy people meet for the first time and feel like they’ve known forever. People open up to him with stories and questions and conflicts and joys, because he really listens without judgement or assumption. He helps people through their problems, not by giving advice, but by listening to what they say and holding the space for them to find their own conclusions. I can say with absolute certainty, I would not be where I am today without him.
I realize I’ve digressed a bit, but I wanted to take a moment to share a little bit about Ish, because I am hoping it will inspire you to take a pause and watch this video. A beautiful reminder about what is good in life and how we can help make it even better, just by being ourselves.
All Thirteen (2020) by Christina Soontornvat
I must start by saying this: I didn’t want to read this book.
Ok, that’s not exactly true. I heard an interview with the author on KidsAskAuthors podcast, and I really, really wanted to read this. I’m usually pretty out of the news loop as it is, but in summer 2018, I was in complete parenting survival mode. So, I wasn’t experiencing this on the news or on social media the way that apparently the whole entire world was. No, the interview on Grace Lin’s show was honestly the first I’d heard anything about it. And I wanted to hear more. And I could tell Christina Soontornvat had done an amazing job, because, well, I could just tell she was awesome by her interview.
But….I am TERRIFIED, I mean terrified, of small, enclosed spaces. I’m a claustrophobic, panic attacker to the Nth degree. So, reading a story about 13 people trapped in a cave for 18 days?! Well, sounds kind of wussy after reading this incredible story, but I just didn’t think I could do it. So, I did the next best thing. I ordered the book from the library to assign to my husband to read and tell me about it. (Shameless, I know.) But then, I picked it up one night. Just to read the opening, y’know. And that was it. I was hooked. I had to go tend to a child soon after and didn’t get too far, but the next morning I read the entire rest of the book. There was zero way to put it down. Zero.
So, in case you, like me, were in some sort of metaphorical cave of your own when this all happened, the basic story is this: 12 boys and their soccer coach decided to go explore a cave after practice one day. Only, when they go to leave, they discover they are trapped by rising water. They find a small place to shelter deep within this cave and there they wait. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, their rescue becomes an international mission. Groups and individuals are brought in from all over the world to help rescue these soccer players. People are glued to their screens (except, apparently, me) wondering what will happen. How will this end?
I think what I loved so much about this story and what drew me to overcome my claustrophobic fears about reading it, was seeing how many people worked so hard and risked so much to save people they had never met. It was 10 days before anybody even knew if these boys were alive. To have that much faith and that much determination in order to save these precious lives just makes my heart overflow with hope for humanity. And I love that the author doesn’t ignore that this was the work of so many more people than just the incredibly brave heroes who were in the cave. With any big event, there is food that is needed and clothes to be washed. Sometimes I’m a bit cynical about news reporters, but I loved hearing how news stories brought the supplies that were very much needed. I can also be a bit hesitant about new technologies. But to hear how they are used in a situation like this is sobering. And just think of the translators needed…
I’m just in awe of everyone involved in this event. The soccer players who were able to wait in a small, dark, trapped space without food or any reassurance that they’d be rescued. It’s a huge inspiration for finally starting meditation, because, Wow. And then the people who came to the site, whether from town or from halfway across the world. Who worked together and worked through cultural differences to come up with a solid plan to save these precious human lives.
This story is one of hope and good. Of faith and trust. Of the strength of the human spirit and of the truly miraculous things we can do when we work together.
I read much of this through blurry tears. And whether you were involved in the story as it was happening or not, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Just now discovering Montague Workshop and falling in love with it all. Haven’t watched all the available videos yet, but have cried happy tears in all of these below. Watch them. This is what Keep in the Sunlight is for.
Graduation Speech from the Future
Update:
I also bought two of Brad’s beautiful books, which I can’t believe I haven’t posted on yet. And, I’m SO excited about the new one coming soon!
I have just learned about this incredible program, and, if you aren’t familiar, I must share. Sparrow Clubs is a program started in the 1990s to help children or teens in medical need. Schools and organizations adopt a child, or “sparrow,” for the year and help raise funds for the family’s medical expenses. But here’s where it gets even better. The funds are actually donated by a local organization, but are only earned once the children from the organization do volunteer work in their community.
There is so much to love about this program, and the first time I watched a video, I didn’t even realize hot tears were pouring down my face. The sparrows are not only given assistance with their expenses, but they also have a community of support behind them. The children or teens who are volunteering take on a new purpose and are often opened up to the idea of helping others. And then, the community itself is benefitting from all the hours and hours of community service given. It is definitely a win-win-win situation, and my heart is lit up to know programs like this exist. It looks like this program seems to mostly be in Oregon, but I do also see some locations in Washington and Arizona. I hope to see programs like this spread. We need more of this in our world.
While there are many videos, here is a sampling:
Sparrow Club: 25 Years
The Sparrow Effect
Trailer
In Their Own Words