I went to executive coach Ipek Serifsoy’s house a few days ago to discuss Ken Robinson’s book The Element with a small group of people. The book looks at what happens when people’s aptitudes and passions coincide. I am excited at the depth that Robinson brings to the concept of the “Spark.” Greg Kerlin, an astute observer in the conversation, commented that most all of the examples in the book were of super stars like Olympic gold medal winners, rock stars and mathematical geniuses. What about everyday people who are in their element in the world, marry their talent and motivation? I immediately thought of my 34 year-old nephew Forrest, who could take anything apart and put it back together better than it was before, since he was six. He was excited by art and film from a young age, also. Now he is using his mechanical aptitude working for Firestone as a master mechanic, coming up with ever more efficient and ingenious methods of solving the problems presented to him. He’s in his element, having developed one of his many sparks, happily living in Central Pennsylvania with his wife and daughter.
I look forward to hearing about your sparks, or the sparks of people in your life.
Laurie
I had the hardest time finding my spark and it was always limiting what i was able to do. I had a lot of energy, but no direction. One day, I was working with the homeless shelter and I wanted to give kids and moms a chance to be part of something great. Something that they can be proud of. Something that can help them believe that they can do anything in this life, including changing their circumstances. We started ER gift bag project, where kids and moms would decorate the bags and staff with various fun things to do. Then we would deliver it to the ERs allover Denver. When we were doing it, many unrelated people of the community were coming together and making project happen. I found out my spark …. I can ignite people, energize them to do something great… inspire them to step out of the box. This is how I found my spark. I am still learning to use it, but I love that I know what it is and thrilled to utilize it for many more projects to come.
I had the hardest time finding my spark and it was always limiting what i was able to do. I had a lot of energy, but no direction. One day, I was working with the homeless shelter and I wanted to give kids and moms a chance to be part of something great. Something that they can be proud of. Something that can help them believe that they can do anything in this life, including changing their circumstances. We started ER gift bag project, where kids and moms would decorate the bags and staff with various fun things to do. Then we would deliver it to the ERs allover Denver. When we were doing it, many unrelated people of the community were coming together and making project happen. I found out my spark …. I can ignite people, energize them to do something great… inspire them to step out of the box. This is how I found my spark. I am still learning to use it, but I love that I know what it is and thrilled to utilize it for many more projects to come.
mfeekes@tucantoo.org
Maria Feekes
http://www.tucantoo.org
This is from a former student who is now is 6th Grade:
Hi Ms Marshall!
Gabby here and I want to tell you that
The Beating the Odds thing is so
creative and cool! And you’re right we can beat
all odds if everybody puts their heads
together and fix problems or challenges
in our lives!
Anyhow how are you?
I miss you so much!
I am still painting ( and drawing!) and I
love school.
Your friend ( and old student),
Gabriella B.
I found my spark when I moved to Los Angeles from Indianapolis after I graduated from law school. While I was working in the entertainment industry, I realized that spiritual cinema was not getting the respect it deserved. This drove me to create Spiritual Media Blog to raise awareness for emerging conscious entertainment in movies, TV, books, music and new media.
Seeing our spark in another
When I met Global Activist Lynne Twist in 2004 I got a glimpse of how “on fire” I could be if I could ignite my spark like Lynne had done with hers. Lynne does an extraordinary job of helping others see their greatness in her. Rather than seeking accolades and adoration, she seeks to empower and enable people to find their passion, power and courage. I now do this very thing to the best of my ability. Living in a way that sees and brings out the best in others is such an amazing and rewarding way to live. It serves the world and it serves you because by empowering others you access your own courage, compassion and power.
As my spark grew to a flame, I knew I wanted to make a bold choice to honor what was really important to me – a world where everyone thrives. So I founded the Global Sufficiency Network http://www.globalsufficiency.org in November of 2008 to lead the movement to create a world where everyone experiences their resources, themselves and each other as enough. The Global Sufficiency Network exists to be a catalyst for addressing scarcity as a fundamental root cause of the environmental, economic, social justice and spiritual crises we face as a human community. If this causes a spark in you – please join me!
Marilyn Levin
Founder and Executive Director, Global Sufficiency Network
marilyn@globalsufficiency.org
marilynsignature
Executive Director, Global Sufficiency Network
marilyn@globalsufficiency.org
marilyn@marilynlevin.com
http://globalsufficiency.org
http://marilynlevin.com
http://ExperientialActivitiesforaBetterWorld.com
Phone 210-957-1265
Cell 512-940-6202
Darrell came to me his senior year because an intuitive teacher told him that he had the potential to do AP work. So he took a risk and moved out of the Level 5 track he had been in all his life and entered my AP Language and Composition class. He wondered, initially, if he had made the right decision. But the first assignment was a narrative piece about something the students “knew for sure,” and Darrell wrote about an abusive father who had abandoned his family . . . about his single mother who had taught him about courage, integrity, and hard work. His paper was a tribute, and it was exquisitely written. Some of us wept when he read it aloud to the class. He had discovered the power of his words. “You’re a writer, Darrell,” I said to him . . . and he embraced the truth of his talent. The papers that followed were intuitive and insightful and beautifully crafted. He had a gift. And at the end of the course, he decided to sign up for my spring AP Literature and Composition class where he often set the standard for excellence to which other students aspired. When the year ended, we parted. He had decided to join the Air Force to help pay for his education. We lost touch. The summer passed, and I didn’t hear anything about Darrell until I received an e-mail from his mother. He had gotten into a public brawl. He had been blamed, even though the other boys had incited him. Would I write him a character reference to take to court? His plans for the military were on hold until legal matters were resolved. I wrote the reference letter as soon as I got the e-mail because I knew the truth about Darryl and the light that he carried. I never heard from him, but his mother thanked me, and I later learned that matters were eventually resolved. A new set of AP students arrived in my classroom the following fall, and I went forward. I heard nothing more from or about Darrell until late in May of the following year when the school secretary buzzed in on the intercom system: “Mrs. Pryor, Darrell Minor is here to see you. Can he come down?” A few minutes later, Darrell and his mother were at my door. He had an armload of books–used books that looked like new: Emerson’s essays, an anthology of Robert Frost’s poems, and others–that he had bought as a gift for me. He was heading to boot camp that day and wanted to come by to see me, and I was so happy to know that his life was going forward again. We hugged. We talked briefly, and then he asked: “Mrs. Pryor, I want to read something to your class. Is that okay?” And he stood at the front of the class and pulled out of his pocket a hand-written piece that he had composed about the power of language. “It is, by far,” he spoke,”the most powerful weapon there is.” He had written about “words that could rally troops for battle, or prevent it.” Words that could “take you anywhere and nowhere at the same time.” And a tribute to the work we had done together. “Listen,” he urged my students, “Learn . . . I promise you, what you learn will change you. You will forever understand the power of language–like you never have before.” And then he was gone, finally off to boot camp in Texas where he would prepare for the next stage of his life. When he is able to receive mail, I will write to Darrell–faithfully–so that he will never forget the power of HIS words. I think we will continue to share the truth we both know . . . that language has the ability to uphold and to transform . . to wage battles . . . and perhaps, as he wrote, to one day prevent them, as well.
I found my spark “by accident” when I took a silk painting class with Susan Moyer while I was living in Hawaii. A woman who works at Exotic Silks in Los Altos, CA told me about the class while I was in the store one day during a visit to see my family in California and the class “just happened” to be in Hawaii near where I was living. That was 10 years ago and I’ve been painting on silk ever since! When I first put the brush to the fabric it was so exciting. My heart was leaping with joy and my spirit was so ecstatic! It felt like I had done this all my life. After I painted my first scarves I brought them to show my friends and family in California over Thanksgiving. I went home empty handed as every one of them had sold! I was so pleasantly surprised and this began my business, Carol Lorraine Designs. I went on to design a line of clothing.prayer flags and paintings, and custom pieces that I call “Spirit Art.” I am now teaching silk painting at the local community college in Napa! The sparks continue to fly as my students are having so much fun now too!
Now my spark is fundraising for 9Health Fair. After I learned how to teach virtually any kid to read, ride a bicycle and succeed with math I found I almost couldn’t get anywhere near a school anymore. For the most part, the teaching is so terrible and destructive. So, when we moved back to Denver I was lucky enough to transfer my fundraising skills to 9HF.
What we do in a nutshell is help communities around the state offer free and low-cost health screenings and education. That said, what makes it so much fun is the enormous human dignity each fair engenders. A participant told me, “I come for the hugs and friendship.” I said, “Sure.”
What I really care about these days is (stewardship and husbandry) safety and health – especially of those 3 boys of mine. All the rest is gravy – not to mention this job of mine, which puts me in contact with absolutely great people, shining dignity and courage all over the danged place. We’ve conducted 162 health fairs this year and provided service for about 100,000 participants and 19,000 volunteers. Mind boggling and a blessing beyond compare. Certainly an ongoing spark that keeps me “sparked.”
As always, it’s great to get these little sparks from you.
Rory
You can never, ever, ever give up! Ever! Because whether you like it or not, God answers prayers – maybe not in the way you want – but in the way He wants. And He created you just as special as anyone else. Your job is to listen to Him and believe Him – not others! I faced a lot negativity from people who were not kind and very judgemental. I came from 2 different worlds that didn’t make sense. I was too American for the Arabs and too Arab for the Americans – so I didn’t fit in anywhere. But all the while, I knew in my heart that I had to be truthful to myself. I knew never to compromise my beliefs no matter who was rejecting me for not fitting in their standards. I had to rely on myself to be strong from the inside and to look only to myself, God and church. That’s where I drew my stregnth. God uses creativity to get us out of our “funk”. You must dance, write, sing, or do whatever makes you happy to bring out that spark in yourself. You were created for a reason – don’t kid yourself! Your job is to follow God’s will and use your gifts to lift your own spirit – as well as others. Where there is light, there can be no darkness. That darkness is defeated when you believe in your purpose. I have the gift of laughter. Life is often filled with pain – so I’ve learned to cry, get the pain out, and then laugh at it. This is power and stregnth. Above all, be true to yourself, be honest, have a good heart, and let God guide you!
My mother was dying, and it was a painful time for me, but one day, I picked up my computer and just started writing. I never thought of anything, but I now have a published book in my hands and my book is called FROM VEILS TO THONGS An Arab Chick’s Survival Guide to Balancing One’s Ethnic Identity in America (http://www.dalelkhalil.com).
As an artist of modern times, understanding myself and the world through color, defining the meaning of originality, I am one of many masters that leads this pioneering craft of spray paint in its diverse art form.
Born Jason Hailey in 1979, I was raised in Oceanside California a small city by the sea with in San Diego county. I was handed a paint brush at the mere age of five from my kindergarten grade school teacher, started painting and fell in love with the creative process immediately, telling my teacher “When I grow up I am going to be an artist.” Thus overtime, I was exposed to the spray paint medium along with many other trials and tribulations that changed my life and formed this learning lesson we live in. As a self made artist my drive and my passion fueled my study from renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Rembrandt to more modern artists like Klimt, Van Gogh, Dali, combining a street culture of modern day spray paint “mentors” such as Phase2, Vulcan, Coma, Sake, Apex, Pose2, and in turn helped guide my lifestyle into a life it self.
A deep spiritual healing and recovery from addiction nearly a decade ago transformed my life and has had a major impact in my style of color therapy and techniques of creative innovativeness. As Chor Boogie, I moved to San Francisco in 2007 and took the leap to pursue a full time career in art. My visionary works ignites the hearts and minds of the masses world wide. There is no color I does not use. I create a wide range of forms, pioneering an inverted can technique which slows down the pressure of the paint and creates dense, rich tones giving room for more detail on a broad perspective. My dynamic range of artistic styles can manifest as soulful, deftly shaded portraits to color therapy, geometric elements adding up to half hidden faces, and a minds eye or two to encourage you to see internally and externally. This is my passion. This is my spark.
Laurie, You’re my spark! I remember meeting you in high school — a gentle creative soul with an artistic spirti and a grounding in humanity. It’s wonderful to see this spark continue as part of your new blog.
Gayla
PS BTW, there’s not enough room to enter my full name but I’m the only Gayla probably.