Monday, February 16, 2009

Grassroots Iverson

I am on a high again. This conference is amazing that way. Last year here my mind was swimming so furiously with energy and ideas that I couldn't even bottle it up inside.

This year they are not just ideas. I did them. Yesterday I presented to a panel of my peers how I did these ideas and showed them how they worked (and didn't work) and what I learned and how they could do it too, how I was changing lives even though I never set out to (and how I could be doing better also), and I inspired them to consider the possibility of the power that each one of us has inside of us to change peoples lives. I could tell by the way their eyes glowed that I was filling them with the sparks of the same energy and power that I had so that they could make a change in their own lives. It was electric.

And its all about grassroots. You! One person can make a change. I never believed that when people would tell me to start small, that I could actually make a change bigger than myself by only doing little things everyday. But as the Special Education director of my entire district coincidentally sat in front of me yesterday, really listening to me speak, hearing my youthful passions and insights, seeing it and listening to just me, I knew that by changing her mind just a little bit I was actually affecting more people than just the little class of 12 in my village school of 29 on my island of 170 in my tiny district in the bush, in my state far far away with the population of a mid sized city, and that this was an opportunity that would never have come about if I hadn't have started small and led by example everyday by myself, little positive things and ideas can change the world.

I can make a difference. The problem is can I? Think about that for a second. You can make a difference. I have been able to see it today. I see it everday in how far my kids have come in a year, how much my school has changed, and how the attitudes of those around me have been affected by this dorky thing called radiate warmth. Even when I'm sad even when I'm down even when I'm sick and running on empty it prevails if you want it to.

Today I saw the actual sequence of events in my life leading up to today and in my future life that could actually happen in reality that would result in massive change taking place for the better in the lives of others, many many people, primarily through how I live my life and examples and connections I set for people around me.

I'm sorry I never believed it before. That was stupid. But I just never thought that being a simple biology teacher would lead to this possibility. And now that I can actually see the reality of my possible effect and influence I can't decide if I am ready for this kind of responsibility. I really COULD make a difference but WILL I?

You CAN make a difference with all your powers. But CAN you? And its more than just education. If you are a pizza delivery driver, or an engineer, or a salesman at Macy's or an "anything" it doesn't matter, you can be amazing at it, you can change everything about it, you can be a visionary, lead by example, people will notice your positivity and they will be attracted to you. And you can help them, and they can help you. Now you just double your powers to change. And now the two of you can make influence 2 more and so on. I know it seems elementary and maybe so much so that you don't even want to think about it more. But I'm telling you right now, that this feeling I have right now is infectious. Its like a natural high knowing how powerful you are no matter who you are and what you do. And I'm not talking about power to be recognized, or wealthy or get what you want, but power to make other people's lives better. The most selfish thing I could do right now is keeping trying to help people.

It certainly complicates my future that is for sure.

I have so much more to say, so much more to get out of me, so much more to pump through my fingers into this computer and out into the world to you that I can't even seem to find the words to simply say that I am so thankful that you are even there right now reading this. I am not perfect, I make big mistakes, but right now I know I'm doing a good thing by being at this conference, listening to these presenters, networking and sharing these ideas and connecting with this infinite energy source. I'm sorry if this all sounds so pompous and infomercial-ish but its real. And if you're reading it right now, maybe you're supposed to be, right now, maybe I'm feeling this way so that I can write this from my heart for specifically you, so that on this particular tuesday for no apparent reason you awoke out of this winter february slumber to realize that you are going to look life right in the face and start making the world better however you think you can, one day at a time, one act at a time, one person at a time.

Passion, meaning, grassroots love everyday if you possibly can. LIFE!

GO GET SOME!

5 comments:

Syd said...

Way to go Kale! I'm so happy for you. Reading this post, you don't sound pompous in the least (I always find myself glued to infomercials because they are so damn convincing, have you heard of Sham-WOW!? They’re so persuasive…which isn’t bad so it’s ok if you sound “infomercial-ish”. You ARE convincing, and like infomercials I’m glued to your powerful blog posts, but you aren’t trying to sell me super absorbent towel) Instead...you are optimistically charged to infect others with something that feels so good and is so gratifying to you. Instead of hording it to yourself and basking in the glow of the passion and absolute joy that changing lives for the better (no matter how big or small) brings you, you are reflecting it out to your readers! Even if someone stumbles upon your blog having no clue what the heck they're reading it for...it will all make sense by the time they’re done reading and they will echo a twinkle of your radiating glow to the small world that they walk around in. ~u rule

Anonymous said...

Right on Kale! you are a direct example of what positivity can do in one's life... :) how cool that you are inspiring so many people and radiating so much warmth! much love!
~Leslie

hdt said...

Beautiful, simply beautiful.
Don't stop. We need it.

Anonymous said...

Hay Kale that was awesome hope you come back soon. school is boring w/out u as our teacher, we are trying to decide what we are going to play for gym in your Earth science.

come back soon
-aaron

Anonymous said...

I'm soooooo excited for you Kale. You always have been making a difference and this most recent experience just reconfirms this. Enjoy the rest of your time in the big city!! There's freezing rain today in Bethel and wind gusts up to 60 mph out at Mekoryuk. You're not missing too much. Have a safe trip back and I hope to see you next month!!
your pal Sally


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