(whirlwind)
i sat in my car with the engine running, waiting for the dynamic duo to come down from their apartment. the yellow barn was our destination, to celebrate with friends for one hell of a mission accomplished.
but as i had my first few moments to myself to gather my thoughts, to reflect after a long day of scrambling, one question was at the forefront of my mind: did that really just happen?
hours upon hours of thought, planning, tens of thousands of dollars spent, the frustration, joys, highs, lows, reflection, doubt, pain, fear.
for one day. 8 hours. 480 minutes. and then it’s over. all of that, for what?
yes, i understand the revolution will be shared via the web, and i personally am beside myself waiting to watch all the talks for the first time. but in the grand scheme of things, mr. o’dell might have said it best:
“April 8th was just another day”
who knows what the greater impact will be? quite frankly, i don’t know that it’s something to spend much time thinking about at this point. what’s more important to me, palpable even, is the impact that it will have on the ones who poured their hearts and souls into make it the most spectacular thing they’ve ever done.
consider for a moment—the act of creation is one of the most powerful actions humans participate in. our work, what we create with our bare hands, is the manifestation of the deepest parts and fiber of who we are. it’s an intensely personal thing.
i think TEDxUofM 2011 meant something different, something special for each person who participated in it.
for some, it was a blast, the most fun anyone could imagine. or, it was an opportunity to make a difference and change people’s lives. or, it was the biggest and most challenging experience to learn and grow. or, it was just the coolest thing ever.
for me, it was an exercise in dreaming, visioning, giving life to an idea.
that might be the most beautiful thing about this whole experience. it was so many things to so many people, but we found common ground without making any assumptions about where any of us are coming from. it teaches us about who we are, and what we were made to do—create, and share in that creation with others. that is a foundation that i can believe in with all my heart.
so as the winds calm and the dust finally settles, take a breath and consider this:
we built something truly magnificent. together. something that’s changed us and taught us about who we are, what we’re passionate about.
thanks for the chance to experience life together. it’s not something i’ll soon forget
