Sunday Night With John: Where Did I Come From
/
Where Did I Come From?
John Paul Derryberry
My mom called all excited about some old pictures she found around the house and mailed them out to me. When they arrived, I had a good laugh. They were from the book release party for my book, "Defending A Ghost". Thirteen years ago, I launched this adventure of mine, in my hometown public library, surrounded by family, friends, and my passion for improving the lives of others. Immediately, I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Nelson Mandela, "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."
While I did not make the return trip to walk the rows of my hometown public library with my old high school friends, I did take a mental journey to that 23-year-old just done being a kid who was gung-ho on improving people's lives. I realized a lot more than my inability to grow hair has changed. It's important to remember why you began something and where the motivation originated. Whether you start supporting a cause, found your own business, craft a new relationship or engage in a personal transformation, it all begins somewhere pure. If we lose touch with the place where our idea started, we lose its soul. While many would like to think we can carry on without a soul, it becomes tough to stay connected to your ideas, your message, and others without realizing that movements have a soul. We start making concessions and our actions get devoured from the rotting core.
I'm not talking about the religious view of the soul, but if that shoe fits for you, please wear it. I'm talking about those inner feelings guiding our actions, the place where when our efforts do not jive with our original purpose. They loudly scream, "You're off course." As I stared at the picture, I wondered if I was off course. The young adult back then wanted to change the world through his story. He was put off by the rah-rah hi-jinks of public speakers, who offered great changes in an hour that they could not deliver. The kid in that picture knew it was harder to change than just having people raise their hands and say "insert catchy slogan here." The inexperienced, naive man felt our culture needed connection through stories because most people's eyes glaze over when science and data are used. Stories connect us in a way facts will never fully capture. That young guy was full of energy, highly passionate, and sometimes too rough and blunt with his message. Most importantly, he wanted to start conversations for people after he left his speaking engagement. He never, ever wanted to be a character promising results in a one-hour presentation only if everyone in attendance brought the seven-step program, the t-shirts, and chanted along with a catchy, catch-all slogan.
I'm not the only one right now who should be wondering if the soul of the message is off course. Conservatives want to protect life but have failed to include poor people, other genders, different sexualities and anyone other than an unborn child in their crusade. Liberals want to create a more inclusive and equal society, but exclude entire groups out of their new inclusive world. The police want people to follow the law and engage in higher standards of discourse, but fail to hold their group to those same standards. The media wants to participate in presenting truth to America but relies on pundits with motivated slants instead of unbiased researchers. All of these ideas taken at their beautiful beginning are wonderful, but they all have lost their way. They have forgotten where they came from. They have a corrupted soul.
As I completed my walk down memory lane, I realized that my message is still attached to its core beginning, and that makes me proud. Sometimes it went off course, but overall, it still sits firmly planted in the ideals I founded it on. I believe more now, than back then, that stories are the way to change the world. Now, my talks have expanded to include other people's stories because I'm not the only source of inspiration. I continue to make no promises to any audience or reader that their life will improve by listening to or reading my words. The only offer I make is that you will think about your experiences, your connections to others, your emotions, and life-shattering moments. I also know we will laugh a little at topics we avoid. I'm still high energy and full of passion, but I have worked every year to soften my blunt delivery. I have turned people off over the years with too much matter of fact talk. My message must be more of a whisper than a shout. We have to focus when people whisper, in order to genuinely listen. I've used slogans, but there is no seven-step program, there are no chants, and there never will be. Science and data have their place and need to be included, but most people still glaze over when they come up. Chase the Invisible, Defending A Ghost, and I are all connected to the soul of this message.
I have done what Nelson Mandela requested. I have returned to an unaltered position and measured the ways I have changed. I miss the long hair, but my long beard has replaced it. I have refined my message over the years much like a river slowly carves its course over time. My message stays firmly grounded in my founding ideals, and it's soul-stronger than ever. I know that because I have not forgotten where this passion originated. I hope others start remembering where they came from because it is a gorgeous source of hope when our actions stay grounded in the true function of our movements' souls.
https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Ghost-John-Paul-Derryberry-ebook/dp/B01LZRL4KI