Who doesn’t love a good story? Listening to encouraging stories helps us focus on what is possible in our lives and in our world. We will achieve more for our calling when we focus on these kinds of positive things.
I recently heard one of these encouraging stories. I have the TED app on my phone so I can get some positive stuff when I need it. I’ve mentioned TED in our blog before. TED’s tagline is “ideas worth sharing.” From a users perspective, it’s ideas worth paying attention to.
This particular TED Talk was given by a young lady named McKenna Pope. She’s 14 years old. Nonetheless, she bravely shared her story with several hundred people and, well, the whole world via the internet.
Apparently her younger brother was really into cooking, both in imaginary play and in real-world “experimentation.”
He decided he wanted to do some baking and wanted to get an Easy Bake Oven (I had one of those back in the 70’s). He changed his mind, though, when he saw the toy’s packaging. The unit was pink and it had only girls on the box that it came in. He very quickly came to the conclusion that boys don’t cook. That’s only for girls.
Then McKenna got involved. Apparently 46,000 initiative signatures collected via social media got the manufacturer’s attention. Hasbro contacted McKenna and unveiled their newest Easy Bake Oven. It was blue and black and chrome.
My favorite part of her talk, though, was seeing a 14-year-old kid encouraging a huge room full of grown-ups that they can make a difference. McKenna is certainly an exceptional young woman. But she shows all of us what we can do with some determination. That’s one of the most encouraging stories I’ve heard in a while.
What’s important to you? What do you want to change in your world?
