Up through adolescence, everyone loves the story of an individual with an idea so revolutionary, or a passion so profound, that they single-handedly shaped a part of the world around them for a short time. We all see ourselves as that hero on a quest, that mastermind concocting a grand scheme to better the world around us. As we reach adulthood however, we become more cynical, and who can really blame us? Just take a look at the headlines on the news: a few minutes is all it takes to become convinced that our society has become a runaway freight train, too weighed down with its own preoccupations to notice the trouble passing by on all sides. It is easy to forget the potential we each have for great things and the profound impact we have on the people we see every day. Yet there are those individuals who refuse to be overwhelmed or intimidated by the doubt and pessimism surrounding them, step off the train, and exploit the opportunities for growth, revolution, and change that they see all around them. They are the Santiagos, the Wonderwomen, the d'Artagnans of the real world. We loved those fictitious heroes as children; as adults we can discover their counterparts in the real world and maybe inspire ourselves to move beyond some of the cynicism we dwell in, to the better reality that we all have the potential to help create. This week's Staff Picks section is my salute to the explorers, geniuses, and larger-than-life individuals that make all the old stories worth reading and planet Earth a little more hospitable or, at the very least, more interesting.
Peace,
Nate
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