This Ability is Good News!

Some months ago I stumbled upon this video of Dergin Tokmak.  Tokmak is a part of the world renown Cirque du Soleil and is by far, one of the most amazing acrobats and performers you'll ever see.  How does he do it?  Well, he has this ability. 

And I'll admit, upon first seeing the video I was struck by this ability.  This ability to do what he does while having no real "traditional" use of his legs as a result of polio.  And aside from his physical feats, it's clear that this ability has impacted his desire to move beyond the externally and at times internally reinforced restrictions many of us live within. 

Now for many you there is an unclear familiarity with polio.  After all, it "rings a bell", but how many of us know or understand what polio is.  If you're unclear, then you're not alone, because polio, also called poliomyelitis, remains a contagious, historically devastating disease.  But our lack of familiarity with it is due in large part to the fact that it was virtually eliminated from the Western hemisphere in the second half of the 20th century, thanks to the work of Jonas Salk and others who developed a vaccine that was made available in the mid-1950's.  But at its peak in the early 1950's, there were more than 60,000 cases worldwide and 3,000 deaths in the United States alone.

No doubt Tokmak survived and now he thrives.  My cousin, and thousands of others survive and thrive as well.  So, where's the typically "obvious" good news of my posts?  Well, this video caused me to take a step back and look at how this ability is also alive and well in my cousin. 

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Wild Things are Good News!

Terrible roars, gnashing teeth, rolling eyes, terrible claws and a boy in a wolf suit are all good news.  Today we learned that Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen and many others, died at the age of 83.  And whether your eight or 88 years old, you've likely spent 15 minutes of your life listening to the story of Max. 
Correction, you've likely spent 15 minutes in the bedroom, then a boat and then on the island where the wild things are, thanks to Sendak's work.  And that's good news.  Of all the children's books that I've read, no other one stands out like this perfect tale.  And why is that?  Well, for me it gives a child to imagine, enrage, regret, celebrate, embrace and seek and gain resolution all in just 338 words.  It normalizes conflicts within the home, shows how pent up anger can be expressed in unfortunate ways, and illustrates in no uncertain terms the demons we all face, are intrigued by and eventually can overcome.  Oh, and most of all, it shows us that we can always come home.  Of course, with a warm supper still waiting for us.

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The Good News of a Cardboard Arcade

Many of you have likely already seen this video, but if you haven't it will no doubt warm your heart.  It's about Caine, a nine year old boy in East Los Angeles who single handedly, and unintentionally inspired thousands and now millions of people across the world. 

Caine's Arcade from Nirvan Mullick on Vimeo.

And he didn't do it by helping an old lady across the street, or rushing into a burning building and saving others, or by any other traditional heroic efforts.  And yes, each of those methods are truly impressive.  But what's amazing about Caine is that he does it by simply being a kid, and reminding each of us about the simple and concrete potential we each have for creativity and wonder.  And he does so by using his imagination and opening up an entirely new world for himself and now each of us. 

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A 12 Year Old Hero is Good News

Now I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for those stories that typically end a newscast.  You know, the one about a dog that walked across the country to find its owner, or the old lady who paid four dollars for a million dollar masterpiece at a yard sale.  But this one stood out for me.  It's about a kid, Jeremy Wuitschick who was riding a school bus and, in essence, saved the lives of everyone on board.  The video below captures it all and it's truly remarkable. 

While riding to school Jeremy notices that something is seriously wrong with the bus driver and in an instant he rushes up and takes the wheel.  In an instant.  When asked about it later he would say, "I didn't think, I just did."

The levels of good news on this story are multiple. First Jeremy's automatic reaction, and that of another student who performed cpr, oh and, how about the kids who called 911 while the bus was careening down the road? 

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A Blind Surfer is Good News!

Okay, so it's April Fool's Day and you're probably thinking, "Yeah, right, a blind surfer!"  Well, the fact it's April 1st makes it all the more relevant because it is that hard to believe.  But the video below is of Brazilian, Derek Rabelo surfing Pipeline on the island Oahu.  For those of you familiar with surfing this is no small feat. 
So, why is this good news? 

It's simple, here you have a teenager who heard the roar of the ocean in Brazil and wondered, "Why not?"  The most amazing thing about this and something that the vidoe does not explore is the steep learning curve of physical ability, and more importantly, the courage and creativity it took to dare to take on such a task. 

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