Steve Hartman revisits the Chandler Family Reunion, 30 years after Charles Kuralt, who found this story one of the most inspirational of his career. – From CNET TV

What a wonderful story!

Length: 3 minutes 2 seconds

Colin’s passion is to help others achieve their potential. For years, he has been delving deeply into books to discover the ‘hidden wisdom’ within them and link it to his personal and professional experience to provide what he calls “School of Life” manuscripts.

Colin succinctly and beautifully summarizes these books into ‘Wisdom Notes’. Wisdom Notes can help to open our minds to new ways of thinking, provide inspiration, motivation and knowledge to help us on our path to self-improvement.

So why am I telling you this?

Via Wisdom Notes, Colin is focused on raising US$ 1 million for orphanages in Poland via the Chiva Foundation, which Colin and his wife recently established with a $55,000 contribution of their own.

By providing children with the opportunity to grow up in a ‘family environment’, they develop their core values, including being enveloped with love and community. The Chiva Foundation is committed to helping underprivileged children grow up in a safe, loving environment where they are also educated in life skills, arts, music and sport.

How can you help?

The proceeds from Colin’s Wisdom Notes are going directly to the Chiva Foundation. The notes sell for $45.00. For that price, you will receive 104 Wisdom Notes to books such as:

Man’s Search for Meaning, Tao Te Ching, The Letters of Seneca, Think and Grow Rich, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, The Wisdom of Heraclitus, A New Earth, Happy for No Reason, The Success Principles, Joseph Campbell Companion, The Magic of Thinking Big, The Writings of Emerson, The Diamond Cutter, The Prophet, Walden … click here for the full list:

As Bob Burg put it, “You will receive the benefit of Colin’s remarkable wisdom summaries and be supporting some terrific and needful kids at the same time.”

Colin has provided synaptici with these free samples of Wisdom Notes to the Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann and The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran! Have a peek and just click on PDF sample to view the Wisdom Notes.

Colin, you are making a huge difference in the lives of underprivileged children by bringing them hope and helping them to obtain an education. I wish you every success in your efforts and thank you for your giving spirit!

Please visit these other pages that also support Colin’s efforts:

Photo Credits

All photos from Colin’s web sites

© Gil Namur, 2009

First, a little bit about where I was and what I was doing at that point in my life.

I was feeling great and probably a little too smug. It was 1990 and I had just won the national Strategic Account Executive of the Year award for Toshiba. My career was in overdrive and everything was going my way. The local university had asked if I would take part in a technology show by setting up a booth to display the latest laptop computers and talk about the future of the industry. At the time, Toshiba had the most innovative products on the market and had the lion’s share of that marketplace.

For many reasons, I was delighted and excited to take part in the technology show. I was passionate about the technology and loved to talk about it. Now I was going to be able to do so at a university venue to academics many of whom were from the various science faculties. I love science! What could be better?

We set up a beautiful booth and displayed our best products. On the first day, the booth quickly filled with professors and students all wanting to talk about their various projects and discuss how our technology could help them further their research. I was fascinated and enjoying every moment. It was about noon, and there were many waiting to speak with me. Just then, a woman in a wheelchair rolled into the booth. She was a quadriplegic. She had a tube close to her mouth that she would blow into to move and steer her motorized wheelchair. She also had a whiteboard on her lap that she could write on using a long erasable marker, again using her mouth to do so. As well, she had a bib of sorts, as she would salivate quite a bit whilst using her mouth to write or drive her wheelchair.

She wanted some information. I felt very awkward as I approached her. She had written a note that was difficult to read. The note asked if I could give her some information about a particular laptop computer. What, I wondered, would she do with a laptop computer? I grabbed a brochure and placed it in a basket she had on the wheelchair. She wrote another question on her board. The communication between us was slow and very difficult to understand. I was aware of the others waiting in the booth and I was anxious to get back to them. When I had answered her, she grunted a thank you, smiled as best she could and slowly left the booth. I could tell she wanted to ask more questions…

As she rolled out of the booth, I engaged a professor who was studying quasars. Wow! Astronomy, my favorite science. I was elated… for about one minute. I could not get the woman in the wheelchair out of my mind and began to feel awful for not having spent more time with her. She deserved every bit as much of my attention as anyone else. I felt I had let her down because I was unwilling to spend the time with her. In a way, I had judged her. I had made a decision to spend as little time as possible with her so I could get back to those that were easier to communicate with mostly because I was interested in what they had to say. Though I was polite, I never gave her the courtesy of showing her the same level of interest.

The next day, the booth was packed. Around mid-morning, the woman in the wheelchair returned. When I saw her, I respectfully broke off from the conversation I was having with a physicist. I walked over to her and said hello. On her lap was a neatly typed note with several questions. With an awkward tilt of her head, she motioned to the note so I picked it up and read it. After I had answered each question, she again grunted a thank you and motioned that she was going to leave. I stopped her and asked her what she was researching. She began to write on her board. This was going to take a while. I grabbed a chair and sat next to her so we could communicate more easily and gave her 100% of my attention. She was doing some very interesting research! She also had a tremendous sense of humor and not one ounce of self-pity. I asked her how she had managed to type the note that she had brought with her and she explained that she had an interface that allowed her to use the blow tube to type by blowing in patterns similar to Morse code. She wanted to incorporate a laptop and a small printer into her chair so she could type messages wherever she went.

We spoke for about an hour. By the end, the communication was getting much easier. During that time, I had wiped her chin for her a few times with Kleenex that she kept in her basket. She finally told me that I really needed to get back to the others who had been waiting patiently. Sighing, I agreed and gave her all of my contact information and invited her to contact me anytime at all. I told her I would be happy to drive out to the university so I could answer her questions and carry on our conversation. Alas, we never saw each other again.

The one hour I spent with her ranks as one of the most humbling and beautiful hours I have ever spent with another human being. Trapped inside her broken body was a beautiful mind and a wonderfully creative imagination. Despite her appearance, she was as graceful as any human I have ever met. Though I am sure she didn’t know it, she brought me back down to ground and taught me lessons I will never forget.

As we move through our lives, we meet people that we sometimes judge too quickly. I believe some of these people are angels sent to teach us valuable lessons. The woman in the wheelchair certainly was, and if she happens to read this, I have these words for her.

From the depth of my heart … thank you!

Photo Credits

Angel © chrisholtphotos

Quasar © NASA – Public Domain

Toshiba T1200XE  © unknown

© Gil Namur, 2009

I cried happy tears as I watched this remarkable young man make a short presentation about the windmill he built to produce power for his family. If you are not inspired or moved by this, then you are either asleep or a stone. This video clip is a testament to some of the attributes that separate us from other species. Imagination and ingenuity leap to mind. It also shows what great things can come about when someone is willing to make a difference … when someone dares to dream! William Kamkwamba certainly did that!

William, I want to thank you for clearly reminding us what a beautiful and powerful thing the human spirit is. May the wind always blow fair for you!

Length: 4 minutes 12 seconds

About William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba’s Blog

About TED.COM

“I don’t believe that our gifts have an expiry date. Clearly, as we get older, it is more difficult. Sadly, most of us consider the idea of re-engaging our gifts or our passions as, impractical.”

It doesn’t need to be that way!

Mitigating circumstances aside, it’s never too late to embrace our passions.

Years ago, I taught guitar lessons to about 60 students. Most of the students were pre-teens. The others ranged in age from 13 to 70. Often, the parent of one of the younger students would tell me how they had always wanted to play the guitar, piano, or some other instrument. I would offer to teach them but they would all inevitably say the same thing; thanks but I am just too old to start playing an instrument now. Some of these parents were in their 30’s!

It’s never too late to embrace our passions. Whether it’s playing an instrument, taking up a sport or perhaps even going back to school to study a subject that has always fascinated you, it’s never too late. Engaging any of these will exercise your brain and create new neural pathways. This is beneficial to all areas of your life. In short, it makes you a sharper you and I believe it makes you a happier you!

Suppose it’s the guitar you want to play. If your hands are willing, you can do it. If all you want is to be able to strum some songs that you can sing along too, with a bit of dedication and half an hour a day of practice, you can achieve that in about 3 to 6 months. If you want to play the blues and improvise a bit, it will take a bit longer. If classical music is your thing, it will take longer still, but you can do it. If your hands are in some way compromised, you may still be able to do it. Consider Django Reinhardt. A brilliant guitar player, he is considered one of the most renowned jazz guitarists of all time largely due to his unique and distinctive style of playing. You see, due to severe injuries suffered in a house fire, he played using only two fingers.

What about sports? Maybe you wanted to take up martial arts or golf. It’s never too late. Sure, you may never become Bruce Lee or Tiger Woods, but you can do it. Just be the best you can be!

If you have read some of my other articles then you know that I started karate at 47 with a back that is prone to injury and two bad shoulders. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes! I am in the best shape of my life and doing things I didn’t think possible. Was I able to do this because I am gifted in this area? No. I was able to do it because I believed that I could do it.

I once played a round of golf with a woman in her mid sixties. She had some upper back issues that only allowed her to take a half swing. Though shorter in distance due to this handicap, every shot she took was straight up the middle of the fairway. She finished the round 8 strokes over par. I finished 22 over par. She had learned later in life to play a game she loves to the best of her abilities. She told me after the game that she was the captain of a sizable woman’s golf team. Clearly, she is an inspiration to her teammates a fine example that we can all achieve our dreams if we will but try.

If pursuing education is your dream, it’s never too late. Phyllis Turner, a 94-year-old great-great-grandmother who left school at the age of 12 may be the world’s oldest recipient of a Master’s degree. Or consider Nola Ochs who at age 90 in 2004 received a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma. Then of course, there is Steven Hawking. Though afflicted with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, he nonetheless is one the most brilliant theoretical physicists who has ever lived. Age and/or disability do not have to stop us from reaching for our dreams.

It’s never too late to embrace your passions. Here are some ideas to help you get there:

• Find a good teacher who will motivate and inspire you.
• Beware of teaching methodologies intended to keep students for a long time. These are often designed to line the pockets of the institutions that offer them at the expense of the student’s progress, and wallet! Do your homework. Talk to teachers and students, ask many questions and make informed decisions.
• Set little goals and build on them. If it’s music, play one good note and build from there. If it’s golf, hit one straight drive. Soon you will hit two, then three.
• If a guitar is simply too difficult for you to get your hands around, try a mandolin, a banjo, or a ukulele. You could even consider a bowed instrument like a cello.
• If karate and kung fu are too demanding on your body, try tai chi. There are many forms of martial arts to choose from.
• Don’t let early failures defeat you. Playing a stringed instrument requires that you develop little calluses on the tips of your fingers. It also requires the development of some new motor skills. Persevere! In short order, you will develop those calluses and motor skills.
• Don’t let a little pain stop you. Your first sports activities will cause muscle soreness. This will pass. You will get stronger and you will improve your skills!
• Don’t be afraid to steer a new course. If you take up guitar and 6 months later realize that the flute is really what inspires you, shift gears and play the flute. If you started studying anthropology but discover that archeology is far more interesting to you, then move in that direction.

I wish you all the very best as you embrace your passions! If you have additional thoughts or can think of individuals who have overcome obstacles to achieve their dreams, please leave a comment and let us know.

Photo Credits

Cellist Frantisek Brikcius from his web site – Public Domain

Tai Chi Young and Old  © Peter Harrison – Wikimedia Commons

Steven Hawking Star Child © Public Domain - Wikimedia Commons

© Gil Namur, 2009

This is a remarkable invention that has the potential to save millions of lives at a fraction of the cost we would have thought possible not so long ago. This, because Michale Pritchard found the current mechanisms used to deliver water to those who need it most inefficient and unacceptable. And so, he took action and created something much better! Well done Mr. Pritchard .. well done!

Length: 9 minutes 32 seconds

Additional Links:

About Michael Pritchard

About TED.COM

I peeked around youtube to see if there were any interesting pieces by Jack Canfield and I found several.

Jack Canfield is best described as an understanding, compelling, empowering and compassionate coach who has helped hundreds of thousands of people achieve their dreams.

In this 1 minute video, he talks about the importance of acknowledging that we often create our own fears. If you have never heard Jack Canfield speak, this short video clip will give you a glimpse into his style and his compassionate spirit. Moreover, it is EXCELLENT advice!

Length: 1 minute

There are many Jack Canfield videos at youtube.
Click here to see more:

About Jack Canfield:
(Be sure to watch the video clip at the top left of the page)

Over lunch one day, I shared my feelings with my very close friend Dale. He was quite surprised but in his usual positive manner, he managed to spread a bit of sunshine into my day. A day later, he popped into my office and handed me a rectangular plastic container with a funny picture on the cover. It immediately reminded me of the famous John Cleese silly walk routine from a Monty Python’s Flying Circus episode. Laughing while I took it from him, I then read the words: Self-Esteem & Peak Performance!

My first thoughts were not very positive. First of all, I had seen many ‘motivational’ presentations and listened to many audio tapes on the same subject. Most of them were a real letdown primarily because they focused on systems as opposed to thought processes. Secondly, the idea that I might have a ‘self esteem’ issue was, well, preposterous! Then the whole ‘peak performance’ thing really irked me. I was a peak performer!

Of course, those feelings all stemmed from the not so rose-colored glasses I was wearing those days and an attitude gone sideways. I politely thanked him for the tapes without letting on to how I was feeling about the whole thing. As Dale often came to my office, I put the tapes in the glove compartment of my car so he would not see them sitting collecting dust…

A few weeks later, I was stuck in traffic. Dale entered my mind so I gave him a quick call. I told him that I really appreciated his friendship and his insights. I then thanked him for how he had immediately followed up with me the day after our conversation over lunch. Dale asked if I had listened to the tapes yet. When I told him that I had not, he told me in no uncertain words that if I really appreciated his insights, I would be listening to the tapes. He was of course, quite right.

Sighing, I reluctantly slid tape one into the tape deck and pressed the play button. Within a few minutes, Jack Canfield had my complete attention. The man speaks with authority but with a voice that obviously comes from a caring heart. I found myself taking the long way home so I could finish both sides of tape one. Over the next 2 days, I listened to all six tapes, and then did it all over again.

Jack Canfield’s Self-Esteem & Peak Performance was a real blessing. Some of what he discusses I had already heard before but he breathed new life into it. He made the concepts real and accessible. There were also many new insights that I had never considered. The very act of listening to the tapes brought me back down to ground. He is not just a great speaker; he is an encouraging voice. Once again, I found myself embracing the days with optimism and a renewed sense of adventure. As well, my attitude was, adjusted! Dale, thanks buddy. You really made a difference then and you still do to this day.

Now available in CD format, this best-selling series will show you how to keep your self-esteem high and live your life with more energy, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Some highlights include:

• How to get what you want in life by letting go of fear
• When to learn from criticism and when and how to ignore it
• How to muster the courage to stand up for what you know is true
• How to hold onto your self-esteem after a big failure

I heartily encourage you to get your hands on this wonderful audio series. You can do so by clicking on the link below. I know you won’t be disappointed!

Self-Esteem & Peak Performance

© Gil Namur, 2009

Why are you here?

The question is meant to get the child thinking about their purpose in life. I think this is a great idea and I really wish I had thought to do that when my kids were younger. As we mature, we all develop filters that obstruct our thinking and our imagination. These filters do not inhibit the minds of young children. What better time to ask; why are you here?

When we ask ourselves that same question later in life, it becomes a very complicated issue to address. A tactic many might use is to ask a different question. What am I good at? Perhaps this can help but I think we need to go a little deeper.

Without getting into semantics, let’s consider the differences between skills, talents and gifts.

Skills:

All of us can learn and develop skills. In fact, to survive, we have to develop a great many skills. To name a few, driving, cooking, walking, writing, reading, computation, organizational, interpersonal, jumping, singing, memorizing, drawing and running are all skills.

Talents:

As we develop them, most of us gravitate towards certain skills. Some might become chefs, athletes, dancers, teachers, artists, musicians or scientists. I believe we gravitate in certain directions because we have specific talents. It is easier for some people to do certain things than it is for others because they have an innate talent. I believe that with effort and determination, within reason, it is ‘possible’ for anyone to do just about anything. However, it is far more ‘probable’ that the individual with talent will achieve that same goal.

Gifts:

I believe we are all born with at least one special gift and that there is a difference between our talents and our gifts. For example, if we were to take the top 100 classically trained pianists from across the nation and ask them all to perform, we would undoubtedly hear 100 virtuoso technical performances, but, a few of them would stand out. Somehow, those few are able to apply their talent in a unique way and touch a part of us that none of the others could. The same is true of writers, artists, public speakers and dancers. The most gifted of these can touch our hearts in ways that the others simply cannot. I have met musicians who were so highly skilled that they could play just about anything with very little effort. Technical monsters we call them, but they really don’t move me that much. I have met far less skilled musicians who with just a few simple chords could sing a simple song and bring an audience to tears. That’s a gift!

I think that to find our purpose, we are better served to ask; what are my unique gifts? I believe that young children inherently know this. Unfortunately, our education systems do not usually recognize individual gifts. It is only through the interventions of people who might notice, perhaps a special teacher, a parent or a friend that we are presented the opportunity to pursue what we are best suited for.

In conversations with my friends and family members, many have told me that as kids, they were great at certain things but life’s interventions and obligations prevented them from pursuing these passions. This leads me to believe that at an early age we know what our gifts are and what we gravitate towards. I am a firm believer that it’s never too late. I don’t believe that our gifts have an expiry date. Clearly, as we get older, it is more difficult. Sadly, most of us consider the idea of re-engaging our gifts or our passions as, impractical.

With all of that in mind, I will now ask a different question.

If we already know what our gifts are, but for whatever reason, are unwilling to develop them, then why even ask the question, why am I here and what is my purpose?

If you are not using your gifts, you should consider doing so. Embracing them will bring you much joy and fulfillment. Sharing them will bring that same joy into the lives of others. Think about it, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

Photo Credits

Kids In A Doorway © Gilabrand

A man and a woman performing a modern dance © Barry Goyette

Chick Corea in concert © Roland Godefroy

© Gil Namur, 2009

At the 2002 NAMM show in Anaheim, I was walking the halls of the second floor looking for companies that might have a need for our fiber-optic based touch pads.

As I was walking past one of the smaller booths, an energetic and cheerful man wearing a huge red and white top hat approached me. His simple booth had a round logo carrying the slogan, ‘Little Kids Rock’. As this was a product show, I imagined that they must have been selling some kind of software or books aimed at the younger market. I stopped and asked him what his company did. Smiling broadly, he invited me into his humble booth, introduced himself and began to tell me all about his organization and its vision to provide the students of underserved schools with free musical instruments and instruction. Afterwards, David asked if I would pose for a photograph with himself and Jon E. Gee who plays bass with John Mellencamp. Of course, I said yes!

“In 1996, an elementary school teacher, David Wish, grew frustrated with the lack of funding for music education at his school. Realizing that he would have to take it upon himself to make sure his kids got a chance to explore music, David began offering an after-school guitar class to interested students. The classes became wildly popular, and as more kids sought to enroll, he decided to take the program national.

In 2002, with initial support from musical luminaries BB King and John Lee Hooker, Little Kids Rock was born. What began as an informal project led by a single school teacher and a handful of volunteers has since evolved into a nationally recognized not-for-profit organization that has served thousands of students…”

In an e-mail recently, David told me that they would reach 50,000 low-income kids this year!

I have only met David Wish once. Since then, I have spoken to him once on the phone and we have exchanged 8 or 9 e-mails. While I do not know him very well, what I do know is that this is a man filled with purpose, light and love. He is responsive, and always demonstrates a humble heart. Not once have I heard him say “I did this”. Rather, it’s always about ‘Little Kids Rock’ and recognizing the efforts and contributions of others.

Little Kids Rock is the realization of a vision with an outward focus to help and bring joy into the lives of those who so desperately need it.

“Little Kids Rock believes that learning to play a musical instrument can be a transformative experience in students’ lives, with the power to inspire the creativity and confidence that are critical to success in school and beyond.”

I agree with them! I salute their accomplishments and I salute David Wish for his perseverance and his dedication to a most noble endeavor.

David, what you and Little Kids Rock have accomplished is truly inspirational. I cannot even begin to imagine the many challenges and hardships that you and your team have faced in the pursuit of your vision. From my heart, to you and your amazing team – thank you for what you have done. Best wishes to you all as you move forward with Little Kids Rock!

Photo Credits

All Photos © Little Kids Rock

© Gil Namur, 2009