"Just a boy, just an ordinary boy, but he was looking to the sky."
Tevin looked up into the shadowy evening sky and saw a hawk soaring above. For one split second, he knew he could fly. Not in an airplane or with jet pack. Not even with wings. Just him, sailing into the sky in his plain human body.
He found the though disconcerting and he tried to shake it away. So Tevin stopped looking at the sky and put his attention back on the 7th grade science exams he was grading. But that night he dreamed of flying, of seeing his house from a bird's eye view.
And the thought lingered. Tevin found himself having dreams of flying nearly every night. He would find himself absentmindedly searching articles about human flight on the internet. Of course the results would always be Superman images or some other science fiction/superhero reference.
But one day things changed. Tevin was again out on his back porch in the evening hours. A beautiful sunset stretched out in front of him. And Tevin was beginning the task of preparing future lesson plans for a new subject area, anatomy. Tevin opened the teacher's guide edition of the science book with the full intent to put together a lesson plan that provided a comprehensive, albeit brief, look at the entire body. But he never made it past the brain.
Specifically, Tevin got lost in a small subsection of the guide book entitled "The Mysteries of the Brain". Here, there was discussion about the untapped potential of the human brain. About how people with genius-level intelligence, musical prodigies, reputed psychics, and even some people with autism tapped into some parts of the brain that were dormant in the rest.
Tevin again thought of flying. But this time he didn't think with the imagination of a child but with the clarity of a scientist. And he decided that it was more than possible, it was doable. He decided that he would be the one to do it.
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
the remedy
"There's no need to hurry when I'm making up my mind."
Phil sat on a bench near the walking trail. He had a view of small lake with little children gingerly throwing pieces of bread towards the ducks under their parents watchful eyes. He could saw joggers rushing by, couples strolling hand in hand, and friends talking. All those things made a picturesque view, but they were inconsequential to Phil. He wasn't really taking the beautiful scenery or the quiet moments. He was thinking. Thinking about the sudden turn his life had made and what his next move should be. He was alone, and angry, and frustrated. And although in the back of his mind he knew that people get laid off every day. Thousands every year. But he felt so wronged, so unjustly chosen to be a part of the unemployed. So he sat in that park, thinking of how to explain this to his wife. How to pay next month's mortgage. How to buy his son the bike he had promised him. Where to find a new job.
And that was the point that was nagging at him most. A new job. Despite the fear and anger, Phil couldn't help but feel the smallest tinge of hope. He had complained about his job for years. A dead-end job. An unchallenging job. An uninspiring job. And now there was this moment where he didn't have that job. He had no choice but to try to find something different, something better. So he sat on that bench. He sat there until all the children went home, the joggers retired, and the only light was from the moon. Then he too went home. He had spent hours on that bench, but with time came more clarity. He was going to find a new job, and he had a plan. This time he was going to get the career he had always wanted.
Phil sat on a bench near the walking trail. He had a view of small lake with little children gingerly throwing pieces of bread towards the ducks under their parents watchful eyes. He could saw joggers rushing by, couples strolling hand in hand, and friends talking. All those things made a picturesque view, but they were inconsequential to Phil. He wasn't really taking the beautiful scenery or the quiet moments. He was thinking. Thinking about the sudden turn his life had made and what his next move should be. He was alone, and angry, and frustrated. And although in the back of his mind he knew that people get laid off every day. Thousands every year. But he felt so wronged, so unjustly chosen to be a part of the unemployed. So he sat in that park, thinking of how to explain this to his wife. How to pay next month's mortgage. How to buy his son the bike he had promised him. Where to find a new job.
And that was the point that was nagging at him most. A new job. Despite the fear and anger, Phil couldn't help but feel the smallest tinge of hope. He had complained about his job for years. A dead-end job. An unchallenging job. An uninspiring job. And now there was this moment where he didn't have that job. He had no choice but to try to find something different, something better. So he sat on that bench. He sat there until all the children went home, the joggers retired, and the only light was from the moon. Then he too went home. He had spent hours on that bench, but with time came more clarity. He was going to find a new job, and he had a plan. This time he was going to get the career he had always wanted.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
i would die 4 u
"All I really need is to know that you believe."
Jacob walked home from work. If you had passed by him, maybe you would have found him rude for meandering down the middle of the sidewalk. Maybe you would have found him odd for wearing his trench coat on a dry June day. The truth was Jacob barely knew that he was walking and where he was headed. He just walked in a daze, fortunately towards home.
He didn't snap out of his daze until the box he was carrying slipped from his loose grip and landed with a thud on the sidewalk. As he stooped to pick up the box, he saw a man on a bench beside the bus stop staring at him. The man offered Jacob a seat beside him on the bench which Jacob gladly accepted.
Without much prompting, Jacob somberly relayed the details of his day to the stranger. He had been laid off today from the company he had spent the past decade working for. He had started ( the company when it was still a fledgling local business. Now it was a global corporation, and he was expendable.
The stranger had listened patiently and sympathetically, but now rose and stood in front of Jacob. He said nothing about Jacob's day, but simply asked if Jacob knew how to change a tire. Despite his confusion at this strange response, Jacob said yes and followed the stranger towards a car parked a few blocks away.
As Jacob came closer, he realized the car was really a limo. He looked at the stranger fully for the first time and realized by his uniform that he must be a driver. And that the man had a splint on his right index finger, which evidently had prevented him from changing the tire himself.
Jacob worked quickly and had the tire changed in less than 20 minutes. As the stranger thanked Jacob, the rear left door slowly opened. The driver quickly introduced Jacob to his boss and explained how Jacob had just volunteered to help as he walked by. The boss was grateful, and offered Jacob a ride to his house. Exhausted by emotion and the tire change, Jacob gratefully accepted the ride.
In that ten minute trip, the two had quite a conversation about business. The boss was thoroughly impressed at Jacob's knowledge of marketing, public relations, and the dynamics of starting a business. The boss gave him a business card and insisted that Jacob come by his office the next day.
Jacob got out of the car at his house, again thanked the driver and boss for the ride, and turned to walk up the driveway. He paused to look down at the business card. His hands went numb and his jaw dropped open. He was again drawn back to reality by the sound of the box hitting the pavement. He left the box there and sat down beside it. The card belonged to Nathan Barkley, the CEO of a Fortune 100 corporation.
Jacob walked home from work. If you had passed by him, maybe you would have found him rude for meandering down the middle of the sidewalk. Maybe you would have found him odd for wearing his trench coat on a dry June day. The truth was Jacob barely knew that he was walking and where he was headed. He just walked in a daze, fortunately towards home.
He didn't snap out of his daze until the box he was carrying slipped from his loose grip and landed with a thud on the sidewalk. As he stooped to pick up the box, he saw a man on a bench beside the bus stop staring at him. The man offered Jacob a seat beside him on the bench which Jacob gladly accepted.
Without much prompting, Jacob somberly relayed the details of his day to the stranger. He had been laid off today from the company he had spent the past decade working for. He had started ( the company when it was still a fledgling local business. Now it was a global corporation, and he was expendable.
The stranger had listened patiently and sympathetically, but now rose and stood in front of Jacob. He said nothing about Jacob's day, but simply asked if Jacob knew how to change a tire. Despite his confusion at this strange response, Jacob said yes and followed the stranger towards a car parked a few blocks away.
As Jacob came closer, he realized the car was really a limo. He looked at the stranger fully for the first time and realized by his uniform that he must be a driver. And that the man had a splint on his right index finger, which evidently had prevented him from changing the tire himself.
Jacob worked quickly and had the tire changed in less than 20 minutes. As the stranger thanked Jacob, the rear left door slowly opened. The driver quickly introduced Jacob to his boss and explained how Jacob had just volunteered to help as he walked by. The boss was grateful, and offered Jacob a ride to his house. Exhausted by emotion and the tire change, Jacob gratefully accepted the ride.
In that ten minute trip, the two had quite a conversation about business. The boss was thoroughly impressed at Jacob's knowledge of marketing, public relations, and the dynamics of starting a business. The boss gave him a business card and insisted that Jacob come by his office the next day.
Jacob got out of the car at his house, again thanked the driver and boss for the ride, and turned to walk up the driveway. He paused to look down at the business card. His hands went numb and his jaw dropped open. He was again drawn back to reality by the sound of the box hitting the pavement. He left the box there and sat down beside it. The card belonged to Nathan Barkley, the CEO of a Fortune 100 corporation.
Monday, June 1, 2009
with you
"When I'm with you I wonder why people do stop and stare and smile at us."
Miranda would come to the park everyday to watch other people's lives. She sat on a little bench near the water fountain with the guise of reading a book. But really she watched.
She saw lovers' spats, kids playing carefree, lonely folks feeding the ducks, and motivated joggers. But every once in a while, she would see love.
Miranda would see a couple walk by, oozing love from head to toe. It wasn't really about whether they were holding hands or kissing or staring into each others eyes. They would be connected. They were content.
The couples would walk by, talking about the weather or work. But their faces said so much more. A passion that was almost blinding. Caring that would make a bystander blush. And butterflies that were inexplicably contagious.
Yes, Miranda sat on that bench and waited for love to walk by. She watched because she had never been in love, but wanted to be sure she could recognize it when it came.
Miranda would come to the park everyday to watch other people's lives. She sat on a little bench near the water fountain with the guise of reading a book. But really she watched.
She saw lovers' spats, kids playing carefree, lonely folks feeding the ducks, and motivated joggers. But every once in a while, she would see love.
Miranda would see a couple walk by, oozing love from head to toe. It wasn't really about whether they were holding hands or kissing or staring into each others eyes. They would be connected. They were content.
The couples would walk by, talking about the weather or work. But their faces said so much more. A passion that was almost blinding. Caring that would make a bystander blush. And butterflies that were inexplicably contagious.
Yes, Miranda sat on that bench and waited for love to walk by. She watched because she had never been in love, but wanted to be sure she could recognize it when it came.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
won't back down
"When all is lost, all is left to gain."
She awoke suddenly, and just for a second thought it all was a dream. For the smallest, simplest, and happiest of moments. Then the reality came rushing back to Cassandra with such a vengeance she felt it would knock her over. And maybe it already had. The fire. The house was gone. That house that she had grown up in, that she had set up her business in, that she wanted to raise her kids in. Her daughter...
She looked over at her child, lying unconscious in her hospital bed. That fire was threatening to take the most precious thing from her life, and she didn't know how to fight it. Cassandra had been in the hospital for hours trying to figure out what she could do. How she could remedy this situation. But there was nothing. She wasn't particularly good at waiting, but that was her only option.
Cassandra would have to wait and see how badly the smoke had damaged her three-year old daughter's lungs. Cassandra would have to wait for the insurance company to fill out paperwork and submit reports before receiving compensation. And she would have to wait for an offer of employment.
She was imagining her whole life fall apart when her daughter woke up. She coughed and called out for Cassandra. Cassandra wrapped her tiny hand in hers and pushed the pager for the nurse. It took that gracious miracle for Cassandra to realize that the house and the job were important but not everything. Everything she needed to restart her life was in this room.
She awoke suddenly, and just for a second thought it all was a dream. For the smallest, simplest, and happiest of moments. Then the reality came rushing back to Cassandra with such a vengeance she felt it would knock her over. And maybe it already had. The fire. The house was gone. That house that she had grown up in, that she had set up her business in, that she wanted to raise her kids in. Her daughter...
She looked over at her child, lying unconscious in her hospital bed. That fire was threatening to take the most precious thing from her life, and she didn't know how to fight it. Cassandra had been in the hospital for hours trying to figure out what she could do. How she could remedy this situation. But there was nothing. She wasn't particularly good at waiting, but that was her only option.
Cassandra would have to wait and see how badly the smoke had damaged her three-year old daughter's lungs. Cassandra would have to wait for the insurance company to fill out paperwork and submit reports before receiving compensation. And she would have to wait for an offer of employment.
She was imagining her whole life fall apart when her daughter woke up. She coughed and called out for Cassandra. Cassandra wrapped her tiny hand in hers and pushed the pager for the nurse. It took that gracious miracle for Cassandra to realize that the house and the job were important but not everything. Everything she needed to restart her life was in this room.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
blackberry molasses
"So many things you'll survive once you realize there's no such place as paradise."
Kenya. She was an average girl, with average looks and intellect. She was kind but not altruistic enough to stand out. She was funny, but not enough to be heard. She was quiet.
Kenya killed herself early one morning in the bathroom while her parents slept. She left no note so they never really understood why. But she was tired of being mediocre. Of constantly being overlooked. Of being completely invisible.
Lawrence. He had everything. He had a well-paying job, a different girl for every night of the week, and a plush apartment in Manhattan. He drove a fast car and lived a fast life. He smiled and laughed with his friends, who all found him charming and energetic.
Lawrence killed himself one Saturday afternoon at his vacation home. It was nearly three days before anyone found him. He left a note saying he was tired of the fake smiles and the empty life. He craved substance he could never get.
Marcus. He was orphaned at 13 after a tragic car accident. He bounced from foster home to foster home. He saw the best and the worst of people throughout his life. He knew there was no yellow brick road, no easy way out, and life is a struggle every day. He believed that no place on this earth existed where complete happiness could be obtained. But he was content and accepting of his life. He woke up every morning prepared to face that day's struggle and to find joy in the small moments.
Marcus had many reasons over the years to give up on life. Horrible situations he experienced and witnessed. But he understood that life is struggle. And that the only way to win was to fight back and become stronger with every strife.
Kenya. She was an average girl, with average looks and intellect. She was kind but not altruistic enough to stand out. She was funny, but not enough to be heard. She was quiet.
Kenya killed herself early one morning in the bathroom while her parents slept. She left no note so they never really understood why. But she was tired of being mediocre. Of constantly being overlooked. Of being completely invisible.
Lawrence. He had everything. He had a well-paying job, a different girl for every night of the week, and a plush apartment in Manhattan. He drove a fast car and lived a fast life. He smiled and laughed with his friends, who all found him charming and energetic.
Lawrence killed himself one Saturday afternoon at his vacation home. It was nearly three days before anyone found him. He left a note saying he was tired of the fake smiles and the empty life. He craved substance he could never get.
Marcus. He was orphaned at 13 after a tragic car accident. He bounced from foster home to foster home. He saw the best and the worst of people throughout his life. He knew there was no yellow brick road, no easy way out, and life is a struggle every day. He believed that no place on this earth existed where complete happiness could be obtained. But he was content and accepting of his life. He woke up every morning prepared to face that day's struggle and to find joy in the small moments.
Marcus had many reasons over the years to give up on life. Horrible situations he experienced and witnessed. But he understood that life is struggle. And that the only way to win was to fight back and become stronger with every strife.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
i hope you dance
"And if you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance."
Welcome to the world. A place filled with noise, pollution, and people. Here, the everyday miracles are usually overshadowed by the disaster of the day. Despite the beauty present in each of us, we tend to be overcome by our own human nature. Greed, lust, despair, fear, anger, and vanity have become veils to the complexity within.
And this is the world we bring life into. Full of crime and pain. Full of selfish people. A world in which we struggle to find purpose, love, and contentment. The only guarantee we can have is that we will die.
This line is from a song about conquering this world the only way we can. With hope and determination. By taking advantage of the opportunities put forth. By recognizing and taking good risks.
This line is about seizing the day. About making the most of each moment. About taking advantage of the day, because its all we know we have. About being able to look back without regret, be happy in today, and look forward with optimism and great expectation.
This song is about teaching someone how to conquer this world. About loving people enough to want to see them accomplish more than yourself. About finding the inner peace to encourage others. About seeing how much beauty and quality this world really holds.
Welcome to the world. A place filled with noise, pollution, and people. Here, the everyday miracles are usually overshadowed by the disaster of the day. Despite the beauty present in each of us, we tend to be overcome by our own human nature. Greed, lust, despair, fear, anger, and vanity have become veils to the complexity within.
And this is the world we bring life into. Full of crime and pain. Full of selfish people. A world in which we struggle to find purpose, love, and contentment. The only guarantee we can have is that we will die.
This line is from a song about conquering this world the only way we can. With hope and determination. By taking advantage of the opportunities put forth. By recognizing and taking good risks.
This line is about seizing the day. About making the most of each moment. About taking advantage of the day, because its all we know we have. About being able to look back without regret, be happy in today, and look forward with optimism and great expectation.
This song is about teaching someone how to conquer this world. About loving people enough to want to see them accomplish more than yourself. About finding the inner peace to encourage others. About seeing how much beauty and quality this world really holds.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
love is
"Love takes the fear and the pain, and turns it into the beauty that remains."
Welcome to the common bond. What do we all want? LOVE. How are we gonna get it? By suffering through the days, doubting ourselves, and trying to be strong. And it is precisely those challenges that make us lovable. The bad times strengthen us. Our complexity makes us beautiful. Our vulnerability makes us yearn. Our imperfections make us easy to adore.
Yes we all face pitfalls bad days, dry spells, and frustrations along the way. But it is important to remember that those are the challenges that teach us how to love others and resolve us on the way we want to be loved.
Welcome to the common bond. What do we all want? LOVE. How are we gonna get it? By suffering through the days, doubting ourselves, and trying to be strong. And it is precisely those challenges that make us lovable. The bad times strengthen us. Our complexity makes us beautiful. Our vulnerability makes us yearn. Our imperfections make us easy to adore.
Yes we all face pitfalls bad days, dry spells, and frustrations along the way. But it is important to remember that those are the challenges that teach us how to love others and resolve us on the way we want to be loved.
Monday, February 23, 2009
flying without wings
"Impossible as they may seem, you've got to fight for every dream because who's to know which one you let go would have made you complete."
Lanie never had a camera growing up. Either her family couldn't afford it or they just didn't believe it a worthy investment. Lanie was a work study student in college, and she couldn't spare the money to buy the camera necessary to take Photography as an elective.
At age 22, working as an entry-level researcher at an energy thinktank, Lanie bought her first camera. It wasn't flashy or particularly high-tech. It was like Lanie. Practical, safe, reliable.
Within five years, Lanie had become one of the most sought-after photographers on the East Coast. She no longer worked for her think tank; she worked for herself. She owned a series of cameras, ranging in size and capacity. She took amazing pictures of everything. People. Scenery. Animals. Fruit. Flowers.
And she was unbelievably content. She relished in her profession, and that contentment spread into her personal life.
Lanie always had vision. As a child, she could see the perfect arch in a bird's flight. She knew which angle best showcased a person's face. She understood the beauty of a petal falling from a rose. She locked a thousand of these images in her mind as she grew up. Her unique photo album.
And the first chance she had, she took her chance to make her lifelong passion her livelihood.
Lanie never had a camera growing up. Either her family couldn't afford it or they just didn't believe it a worthy investment. Lanie was a work study student in college, and she couldn't spare the money to buy the camera necessary to take Photography as an elective.
At age 22, working as an entry-level researcher at an energy thinktank, Lanie bought her first camera. It wasn't flashy or particularly high-tech. It was like Lanie. Practical, safe, reliable.
Within five years, Lanie had become one of the most sought-after photographers on the East Coast. She no longer worked for her think tank; she worked for herself. She owned a series of cameras, ranging in size and capacity. She took amazing pictures of everything. People. Scenery. Animals. Fruit. Flowers.
And she was unbelievably content. She relished in her profession, and that contentment spread into her personal life.
Lanie always had vision. As a child, she could see the perfect arch in a bird's flight. She knew which angle best showcased a person's face. She understood the beauty of a petal falling from a rose. She locked a thousand of these images in her mind as she grew up. Her unique photo album.
And the first chance she had, she took her chance to make her lifelong passion her livelihood.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
the impossible dream
"To be willing to march into hell for that heavenly cause."
Into the angry mouths of dogs
Into an endless ocean
Into the hands of a betrayer
Into her counselor's office
For each person to have the right to be a person
For a chance to be free
For us to get to heaven
For her brother to be saved from the beatings at home
Into the angry mouths of dogs
Into an endless ocean
Into the hands of a betrayer
Into her counselor's office
For each person to have the right to be a person
For a chance to be free
For us to get to heaven
For her brother to be saved from the beatings at home
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)