I cut a meeting short so I would be there for the opening. I rushed across the icy parking lot, got into my car, and clicked the Zoom link on my phone.
“We have 274 people. No, 300. No, 350.” one of the hosts announced. The other host let out a laugh filled with so much joy and excitement that it drew tears out of my own excited heart: “Four-hundred of you are here!”
That other host with a smile that instantly made the day better was my son, Evan Amadeus.
The event was “SCAD Start up” – a design competition with huge prizes and opportunities to work with senior designers and mentors from companies like Google, Netflix, IKEA, IBM, Mattel, and Gulfstream!
Evan is a sophomore (UX or ‘User Experience’ major) and a co-director of this inspiring project. I watched him in awe. He had been working on it since last spring, often asking me for quick coaching around a challenge.
Now his job was to inspire those 400 creative souls – thinkers, visionaries, and designers – to create something that will benefit our society. He spoke words that cut through fear, doubts, and insecurities. Words that went straight to a place in our hearts where we all have hope and creative power to make something that will bring positive change to the world.
And then he introduced this year’s topic and prompt for the designers, which I now extend to you…
I cut a meeting short so I would be there for the opening. I rushed across the icy parking lot, got into my car, and clicked the Zoom link on my phone.
“We have 274 people. No, 300. No, 350.” one of the hosts announced. The other host let out a laugh filled with so much joy and excitement that it drew tears out of my own excited heart: “Four-hundred of you are here!”
That other host with a smile that instantly made the day better was my son, Evan Amadeus.
The event was “SCAD Start up” – a design competition with huge prizes and opportunities to work with senior designers and mentors from companies like Google, Netflix, IKEA, IBM, Mattel, and Gulfstream!
Evan is a sophomore (UX or ‘User Experience’ major) and a co-director of this inspiring project. I watched him in awe. He had been working on it since last spring, often asking me for quick coaching around a challenge.
Now his job was to inspire those 400 creative souls – thinkers, visionaries, and designers – to create something that will benefit our society. He spoke words that cut through fear, doubts, and insecurities. Words that went straight to a place in our hearts where we all have hope and creative power to make something that will bring positive change to the world.
And then he introduced this year’s topic and prompt for the designers, which I now extend to you…
Reflect on the past 20 years (most of the participants’ whole lives) and considering where we’ve been. Create something with the theme of Where Do We Go From Here?
What would you create on the topic of Where Do We Go From Here?
What will you create?
The world is different today than it was yesterday. And tomorrow will be different from today. Where do you want to go from here?
Do you want to stay where you are, confused and feeling stuck? Maybe even afraid? Or complaining that you don’t like where the world is going?
Do you want to keep wishing you could go back into the past, knowing full well that you can’t?
Or do you want to envision your life – and your world – in a hopeful and creative way?
Our creativity is a part of the “image and likeness of God in which we are made” that is easily forgotten.
Each morning you can ask yourself: Where do I go from here?
And then create moments that fit the answer.
If your body is hurting or you’re physically not feeling at your best, where do you want to go from here? Toward a healthier body?
If you feel down and heaviness sits on your heart, where do you want to go from here?
If your mind can’t seem to quiet down to experience the sacred peace and blessed rest, where do you go from here?
Reflect on the past 20 years (most of the participants’ whole lives) and considering where we’ve been. Create something with the theme of Where Do We Go From Here?
What would you create on the topic of Where Do We Go From Here?
What will you create?
The world is different today than it was yesterday. And tomorrow will be different from today. Where do you want to go from here?
Do you want to stay where you are, confused and feeling stuck? Maybe even afraid? Or complaining that you don’t like where the world is going?
Do you want to keep wishing you could go back into the past, knowing full well that you can’t?
Or do you want to envision your life – and your world – in a hopeful and creative way?
Our creativity is a part of the “image and likeness of God in which we are made” that is easily forgotten.
Each morning you can ask yourself: Where do I go from here?
And then create moments that fit the answer.
If your body is hurting or you’re physically not feeling at your best, where do you want to go from here? Toward a healthier body?
If you feel down and heaviness sits on your heart, where do you want to go from here?
If your mind can’t seem to quiet down to experience the sacred peace and blessed rest, where do you go from here?
Take a moment and reflect on those questions.
And here are some more that we can borrow from the designer kids:
What tools do you need?
Who are your team members?
How/ where will you get support to create your vision?
How will you fund it? (Yup! Important one.)
Why is this important to me?
How will it benefit others?
I don’t have prizes for your creations. And I don’t want to run a competition, because even if you take a few moments to reflect on this, you are already a winner 🙂
Take a moment and reflect on those questions.
And here are some more that we can borrow from the designer kids:
What tools do you need?
Who are your team members?
How/ where will you get support to create your vision?
How will you fund it? (Yup! Important one.)
Why is this important to me?
How will it benefit others?
I don’t have prizes for your creations. And I don’t want to run a competition, because even if you take a few moments to reflect on this, you are already a winner 🙂
Song
It’s been one year since Olivia Newton John and Chloe Lattanzi released the song Window in the Wall. Here is me singing it (very casually – although I’d love to record a studio version soon).
I think it’s a pretty good submission for a Where Do We Go From Here discussion, right?
Looking for a window in the wall
Maybe we can see the other side
Find out we’re not so different after all
Looking for a window in the wall
It’s been one year since Olivia Newton John and Chloe Lattanzi released the song Window in the Wall. Here is me singing it (very casually – although I’d love to record a studio version soon).
I think it’s a pretty good submission for a Where Do We Go From Here discussion, right?
Looking for a window in the wall
Maybe we can see the other side
Find out we’re not so different after all
Looking for a window in the wall
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AND live your dream life.
Get weekly emails, exclusive content. special offers and
event updates directly to your inbox.