I am good news!

This Ability is Good News!

2012-05-22T05:49:12Z

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.

Wild Things are Good News!

2012-05-09T04:39:48Z

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.

The Good News of a Cardboard Arcade

2012-04-19T04:02:31Z

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.

A 12 Year Old Hero is Good News

2012-04-11T11:44:46Z

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?

A Blind Surfer is Good News!

2012-04-01T15:48:17Z

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.

The "Day Before" is Good News

2012-03-10T05:48:46Z

Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the Japanese tsunami and I am struck by where I was when the first images arrived here in the States. Undoubtedly all of us can recall where we were. while nervously fearing for thousands we did not even know. It was an event that will be forever etched into our collective memories. It humbled us and, for a moment, made us appreciate what we have. So, where's the good news at with this one?

Well, I find that there are often tragic events that result in a crystallized and collective group memory. As if the one thing we have in common is where we were when the tragic event occurred. Where were you when the L.A. riots began, when the Challenger exploded or even seemingly mundane things as when you heard the latest pop star died too soon? I present these events and this phenomena as a position to counter, to reverse and to challenge us to do the opposite of.

In short, where were you the day before?

Where were you the day before the tsunami hit Japan? What were you doing and who were you with? What events transpired that were not tragic nor life altering, but just were. Did you laugh with a co-worker, play with your child or just spend a moment of calm silence while waiting for traffic to clear?

Gas Prices as Good News?

2012-02-25T12:00:37Z

Well, sometimes it takes a long time for good news to show up. And with gas possibly reaching five bucks a gallon, and maybe six on the West Coast, one must take an optimitic “wait and see” approach. But given that this is iamgoodnews.com, we're clearly looking for the silver lining to this oil soaked mess we find ourselves in. Yes, we're aware that the high cost of oil is having a drastic effect on all things; food, employment, basic necessities. Without question, a difficult transition. But, we couldn't help but wonder if down the line there could be some good news that emerges from this. And, not surprisingly, we were able to find some. It’s as simple as this; for some time we’ve (i.e., Americans) have, and continue to indulge in an excess of consumption. True, we love our SUV’s, and each of our “have to haves”, but over the past several years with the housing market crash, unemployment spike, and now the magical rise of gas prices, many of us are realizing (or soon will realize) that our have-to-haves, are not really that necessary, and at times just an extension of us trying to “keep up with the Joneses”, or at times live beyond our means.

The Good News of a Newborn

2012-02-17T12:19:18Z

For all you new parents out there, well, this one's for you. It's also for my brother who is about to be a dad. I wrote it several years ago when my daughter was born, but realize it relevant to anyone and everyone. That being said, enjoy.
The Good News of a New BabyCongratulations! In one fell swoop you have a bouncing, screaming, staring, loving, pooping, peeing and crying example of the best news of all; the Good News of a newborn baby!

You'll look at this bundle of good news and see not only the purity that we are all born with, but also a glimpse of this within all whom you meet. After all, we were all bundles of good news from our very first breath.

The Good News of a Smile

2012-02-05T12:43:19Z

From CNN, to MSNBC, and of course, Fox News, most of what we see on the news is bad news. One need only watch a random period of five minutes, and rest assured, you’ll likely end up feeling down, depressed or downright angry. So, what does this everpresent drumbeat of bad news do to the psyche, soul or even your outlook on life, your daily mantra? Well, it can have a damaging effect on how you look at the world, yourself and all those around you.

Now, you may ask, what can I do to counter this online, network driven, omnipresent availability of bad news

Embracing Education is Good News!

2012-01-22T06:36:17Z

The other day when checking the morning news I was struck by the image below. It shows several kids making a perilous journey across what appears to be a broken bridge. The picture alone was enough to compel me to read the article and learn what would prompt such a life threatening actions.

Were they running from the conflict of war, or evacuating a village in advance of a natural disaster. Both seemed like viable and realistic options. At least enough to cause these children to risk life and limb. But a mere second or so after seeing the picture I began to read the article itself. These children are walking to school . Yes, school. The backstory is simple, and not near as important as why they make such a journey. In short, the footbridge these children take to school was washed away in the recent floods that had pummeled Southeast Asia.