Alan Shelton alanshelton/stories/corporate_stories/obviousness-of-being-in-present/ "It started as a normal Skype session between friends. One asked a question, the other responded with an answer. However in this case, the call was with two of the finest storytellers that the millennial generation has offered up. Michael, a tattoo’d Kentucky visual artist and Amir, an Afro-Arab social activist from Sudan. And then the moment broke in to that pure energy that we all pursue. “Alan, what is it that the 60s generation has to offer to the millennial’s of today?” they inquired. “We know it’s there and we want it.” The thoughts swooned in my head as I looked for that one nugget that an old storyteller can give to the beloved younger generation. The shaman in me yearned to make this one just right. This was more than a conversation; it was a sacred ritual masked as a Skype call. For me there is only one basic driver of human experience: authenticity. It doesn’t matter whether it’s corporate acumen or awakened leadership: Authenticity is the bedrock upon which all human behavior finds its genuine mark. Authenticity Explodes On The Scene It was 1964 and I was a skinny 11 year old with his mouth gaping wide open. A surfboard on wheels glided its way onto the streets and into the collective of the 60’s. We were officially surfing the world. Four years later I got a pair of custom-made sneakers (the perfect shoe for the skateboarder). The manufacturer was called ‘Vans’ and they advocated authenticity over anything else. Little has changed in half a century. In those days it was just the locals who knew what that meant. To this day when I stand on a corner on an unkempt street in a California town watching the boys do their tricks on boards, I belong. They know it and I know it. They can do stuff I could never dream of doing. But I was there when it exploded from the ground. Midair Storytelling Breathes Authenticity That was what was going on with Michael and Amir. These two are the best midair storytellers I have ever seen. But I belong and they know it. And then the words came out of my mouth: “no posers.” The skateboarders of old had created this watchword. What made it different was that it sought the best in every individual skater. We didn’t root against our skater brothers. We did the best that we could do for ourselves and then cheered our tribe as they did theirs. “No posers” was not just for the outside. We sought the posers inside ourselves and subsumed them into our new reality. It was transformation on a board. And now my storytellers have created a space for all of the old 60’s rockers to join in. It’s called “Globalish.” Keep track of this name for it’s the new version of “no posers.” This website will collect storytellers and authentic heroes from all generations. Take a look at the first page and remember there’s more to come:
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 07:16:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015