Hope requires courage. Darkness, despair, anger, destruction—the images of these things feature daily in our media. No matter where we look, we’re met with images that leave us questioning. We’re left feeling hopeless, without options or solutions to the things that plague us. The many enemies that challenge our hope—doubt, fear, sorrow—bind together with our…
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“The important thing is not to stop questioning.” —Albert Einstein Knowledge, one of Merlin’s magical words, is so much more than just the things you learn by sitting in a classroom. The truth is, Knowledge is just as much about what you don’t know than what you do, and it’s about your journey to fill…
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Wonder, one of Merlin’s Seven Magical Words, is more than just something that we stumble upon from time to time. There is intentionality in Wonder, though it is not something you seek. It calls you to question, to explore, to investigate. To wonder is to open the doorway to imagination. Wonder is that breathtaking sunset…
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Since 2001, The Barron Prize has been awarded to more than 100 young people whose projects make a positive difference in the world. This national award is meant to highlight the idea that every single one of us — regardless of gender, race, age, or anything else — can find great qualities in ourselves. Can…
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When you think “summer” you likely think of long lazy days… maybe it puts you in mind of holiday beaches, or fun family camping, or perhaps it simply signals it’s time to shed your winter layers and savor the warm weather. But when you’re a parent, summer can also bring challenges, including a chorus of…
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On April 15th, 1817 students gathered in Hartford, Connecticut for the opening of the very first school for the Deaf in the U.S. It was here, and at other subsequent Deaf schools across our nation, that students intermingled Native American Signs, French Sign Language and Martha Vineyard Sign Language, and together developed the language we…
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These are dark times. In our country and our world, we’re surrounded by divisiveness, greed, mean-spiritedness, hatred, cynicism, fear, and rage. So much so, the darkness sometimes threatens to cover us all in shadows. That’s why we need to double down on goodness. Each of us has that power. Even if we don’t remember that,…
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Real heroes are those who overcome obstacles to make real, positive changes in the world. Their stories help to inspire us with evidence of the power of people just like ourselves who have worked to change things for the better. For over 15 years the Barron Prize has celebrated heroic young people, and this year…
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I am thrilled to share this article I wrote for the Aug/Sept 2017 edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine. The article is featured in a section titled “British Accents” and includes a selection of beautiful photographs and stories about the British countryside, including this short essay about the mythical land of Merlin – Wales! Stand on…
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These remarks were given as part of my address to the graduating class of the University of California Santa Barbara in June 2017. If you folks like a good story, as I do – then try this: Think of your life as a story. A Story You Create Yourself My own story is one with…
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