It’s hard to prepare to be resilient, but when faced with adversity, most people are surprised to find they can rise above. Their stories were on display on Oct. 20 at the inaugural TEDxHiltonHead talk, held at the rooftop bar at Poseidon Coastal Cuisine.
TED is a nonprofit group that was originally conceived as a conference to focus on technology, entertainment and design in 1984. Today, the talks cover almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages and have earned a global following online. Independently run TEDx events, like the recent forum on Hilton Head Island, help share ideas in communities around the world.
Kayaking down intercoastal waterways, trudging through marshland, building catapults and even riding roller coasters are just a few of the many activities John Paul II Catholic School science classes have participated in throughout the past two years.
Cue scene: The waitress at my birthday dinner has a smile that seems tailored just for me. She’s just a little shy but very sweet. Blue streaks in her hair. With 7 credit cards, we pay up, my friends and I, joking about the small profit the bank makes on our good time. I waive adieu and we go in for some late night jazz at a bar across the street. Much later, that same smile graces my eyes. It’s loud in here but we manage to talk poetry just as I’m called on stage to play. She leaves with a friend and I can’t reverse her momentum as she walks out.
