What is your red rubber ball? (Photo by Joe M500, Flickr)
By Amy L. Hatch
Laura and I are in Nashville this week, at a writing and blogging conference called Blissdom. We’re connecting with some great national brands, meeting lots of like-minded women and writers — and we’re doing something I don’t think either one of us expected.
We are getting inspired.
Part of the great program here — and by “here” I mean the Opryland Hotel and Resort … HOLLA! … this place is out of this world — was possibly the best keynote speaker I’ve ever heard.
I know, right? Keynote speaker is usually code for “Time to take a snooze, conference goers!”
Not this time. We were lucky enough to hear Kevin Carroll, author, speaker and agent for social change. Caroll was formerly employed by Nike Co. as that company’s “katalyst.”
His journey led him to see that play is the fundamental value that creates a life well-lived. Not play in the literal sense, although that was part of his message, but play as an outgrowth of living what you love and being fully present in your life.
The catalyst that set Kevin on his path was a red rubber ball on a city playground. That ball became a metaphor for the rest of his life, as he continued to seek out his red rubber ball wherever his path took him.
Laura and I both feel like we found our red rubber ball right here at chambanamoms.com. What we are doing here — with you, our community — feels so much like play that it’s hard to call it work.
We are so thrilled that you are willing to play with us.
What is your red rubber ball? What inspires you, makes you feel empowered and powerful when you wake up in the morning?
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February 5th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I love this metaphor of the “red rubber ball” because I think as adults, we can get soo disconnected from this (especially in the work of being a parent) that we risk not even being able to relate or answer this question for ourselves. My red rubber ball is my art. Since recently, “my art” has taken on a different definition than just my painting or my graphic design. It is my cooking, my relationships, my outfits every day, my lifestyle, and even the crafting of this response. It is my creative expression!