[Applause] hello my name is Heather gross and I do
hello my name is Heather gross and I do
hello my name is Heather gross and I do spend most of my days here at Pearson
spend most of my days here at Pearson
spend most of my days here at Pearson college and one of the things I do when
college and one of the things I do when
college and one of the things I do when I hear is I talk to students about what
I hear is I talk to students about what
I hear is I talk to students about what they’re going to do next
they’re going to do next
they’re going to do next and if only I had a tool a tool that I
and if only I had a tool a tool that I
and if only I had a tool a tool that I would give each student that would say
would give each student that would say
would give each student that would say here you go
here you go
here you go just follow this recipe everything is
just follow this recipe everything is
just follow this recipe everything is going to be all right
going to be all right
going to be all right I don’t sorry if you thought that’s what
I don’t sorry if you thought that’s what
I don’t sorry if you thought that’s what today’s TED talk was going to be about
today’s TED talk was going to be about
today’s TED talk was going to be about instead I have a framework I want to
instead I have a framework I want to
instead I have a framework I want to share a framework that I think will be
share a framework that I think will be
share a framework that I think will be quite interesting and it’s going to
quite interesting and it’s going to
quite interesting and it’s going to relate to my own story but before I tell
relate to my own story but before I tell
relate to my own story but before I tell my story I want to make sure we’re all
my story I want to make sure we’re all
my story I want to make sure we’re all clear of the one thing that has to do
clear of the one thing that has to do
clear of the one thing that has to do with me not having that tool and that’s
with me not having that tool and that’s
with me not having that tool and that’s uncertainty dr. Stan Collins who’s a
uncertainty dr. Stan Collins who’s a
uncertainty dr. Stan Collins who’s a leader in the UK advises that we embrace
leader in the UK advises that we embrace
leader in the UK advises that we embrace uncertainty sometimes some of the local
uncertainty sometimes some of the local
uncertainty sometimes some of the local beautiful chapters in our lives won’t
beautiful chapters in our lives won’t
beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later but not
have a title until much later but not
have a title until much later but not the story I’m going to tell you today
the story I’m going to tell you today
the story I’m going to tell you today the chapter of my life I calls the
the chapter of my life I calls the
the chapter of my life I calls the Interfaith chapter but before I tell
Interfaith chapter but before I tell
Interfaith chapter but before I tell that I want to give you an insight into
that I want to give you an insight into
that I want to give you an insight into the toolbox or the frame what I’m going
the toolbox or the frame what I’m going
the toolbox or the frame what I’m going to offer as well and this frame comes
to offer as well and this frame comes
to offer as well and this frame comes from the world of design this frame
from the world of design this frame
from the world of design this frame comes from the people who design
comes from the people who design
comes from the people who design greeting cards the people who design
greeting cards the people who design
greeting cards the people who design microphone the people who design
microphone the people who design
microphone the people who design Airlines and they all in have in common
Airlines and they all in have in common
Airlines and they all in have in common a process learning what people are
a process learning what people are
a process learning what people are looking for coming up with my
looking for coming up with my
looking for coming up with my for any store benign stations defining
for any store benign stations defining
for any store benign stations defining for problem trying it out and then
for problem trying it out and then
for problem trying it out and then getting feedback from other people and
getting feedback from other people and
getting feedback from other people and that’s the framework that I’m going to
that’s the framework that I’m going to
that’s the framework that I’m going to offer you as a way that we each of us
offer you as a way that we each of us
offer you as a way that we each of us can design our future my story starts
can design our future my story starts
can design our future my story starts though here at Pearson college I was 17
though here at Pearson college I was 17
though here at Pearson college I was 17 I was Canadian and I was interested at
I was Canadian and I was interested at
I was Canadian and I was interested at home in the religious experience sort of
home in the religious experience sort of
home in the religious experience sort of writ large when I came to Pearson
writ large when I came to Pearson
writ large when I came to Pearson college because of the people that I met
college because of the people that I met
college because of the people that I met to my friends because of the people I
to my friends because of the people I
to my friends because of the people I dated because of the conversations in
dated because of the conversations in
dated because of the conversations in class it became clear that the
class it became clear that the
class it became clear that the conversation for me was beyond my own
conversation for me was beyond my own
conversation for me was beyond my own religious tradition of Christianity but
religious tradition of Christianity but
religious tradition of Christianity but it was really around connecting with
it was really around connecting with
it was really around connecting with people from other faiths and other
people from other faiths and other
people from other faiths and other religions so I became involved in a
religions so I became involved in a
religions so I became involved in a weekly religion interfaith organization
weekly religion interfaith organization
weekly religion interfaith organization and I did everything I could to talk to
and I did everything I could to talk to
and I did everything I could to talk to people about their experience to find
people about their experience to find
people about their experience to find out more and that was an interesting
out more and that was an interesting
out more and that was an interesting part for me but I knew that blank went
part for me but I knew that blank went
part for me but I knew that blank went on and I knew in the summer I needed a
on and I knew in the summer I needed a
on and I knew in the summer I needed a job so making it still hadn’t found a
job so making it still hadn’t found a
job so making it still hadn’t found a job but the last meeting of the
job but the last meeting of the
job but the last meeting of the gathering happened and the husband
gathering happened and the husband
gathering happened and the husband thought the leader came to her and said
thought the leader came to her and said
thought the leader came to her and said I just got funding for a student to hire
I just got funding for a student to hire
I just got funding for a student to hire for the summer do you know anyone and
for the summer do you know anyone and
for the summer do you know anyone and she said well try Heather see if she has
she said well try Heather see if she has
she said well try Heather see if she has a job yet I didn’t and I became the only
a job yet I didn’t and I became the only
a job yet I didn’t and I became the only staff person for the world interface
staff person for the world interface
staff person for the world interface Education Association for the entire
Education Association for the entire
Education Association for the entire summer in between libraries I got to
summer in between libraries I got to
summer in between libraries I got to travel across Canada that’s part of
travel across Canada that’s part of
travel across Canada that’s part of Canada talking with young people from
Canada talking with young people from
Canada talking with young people from different religious backgrounds talking
different religious backgrounds talking
different religious backgrounds talking with indigenous youth seeing how they
with indigenous youth seeing how they
with indigenous youth seeing how they relate
relate
relate to the conversation and really getting a
to the conversation and really getting a
to the conversation and really getting a sense of what was going on in Canada
sense of what was going on in Canada
sense of what was going on in Canada around the Interfaith conversation
around the Interfaith conversation
around the Interfaith conversation I came back to Pearson college of trying
I came back to Pearson college of trying
I came back to Pearson college of trying to use those tools meeting retreats
to use those tools meeting retreats
to use those tools meeting retreats encouraging other students to become
encouraging other students to become
encouraging other students to become engaged figuring out how to branch this
engaged figuring out how to branch this
engaged figuring out how to branch this larger how to make this bigger and also
larger how to make this bigger and also
larger how to make this bigger and also how to make it deeper how to make it
how to make it deeper how to make it
how to make it deeper how to make it part of my life
part of my life
part of my life what were the pieces I wanted when
what were the pieces I wanted when
what were the pieces I wanted when people ask me what do you want to do
people ask me what do you want to do
people ask me what do you want to do when you leave what do you want to do
when you leave what do you want to do
when you leave what do you want to do when you bear laughs I always said I
when you bear laughs I always said I
when you bear laughs I always said I don’t know what I want to do but I know
don’t know what I want to do but I know
don’t know what I want to do but I know how I want to live and I thought that
how I want to live and I thought that
how I want to live and I thought that how I wanted to live had something to do
how I wanted to live had something to do
how I wanted to live had something to do with the community I thought it had
with the community I thought it had
with the community I thought it had something to do with the forest and I
something to do with the forest and I
something to do with the forest and I was pretty sure it had something to do
was pretty sure it had something to do
was pretty sure it had something to do with bringing people together from
with bringing people together from
with bringing people together from different places
different places
different places so again may have a plan but there was a
so again may have a plan but there was a
so again may have a plan but there was a notice board that was notice that went
notice board that was notice that went
notice board that was notice that went up on the notice board like giving an
up on the notice board like giving an
up on the notice board like giving an email now and the notice that they were
email now and the notice that they were
email now and the notice that they were looking for volunteers in southern India
looking for volunteers in southern India
looking for volunteers in southern India to go and live in the forest I sent it
to go and live in the forest I sent it
to go and live in the forest I sent it back and got to go and so there I found
back and got to go and so there I found
back and got to go and so there I found myself in the forest living a very
myself in the forest living a very
myself in the forest living a very different life connecting with people
different life connecting with people
different life connecting with people from very different places and even
from very different places and even
from very different places and even though we were in a country where
though we were in a country where
though we were in a country where religion was part of everyday experience
religion was part of everyday experience
religion was part of everyday experience it wasn’t necessarily part of our
it wasn’t necessarily part of our
it wasn’t necessarily part of our communities experience still I really
communities experience still I really
communities experience still I really appreciated the chance to get a sense of
appreciated the chance to get a sense of
appreciated the chance to get a sense of our this idea of people talking to
our this idea of people talking to
our this idea of people talking to places really made the difference in
places really made the difference in
places really made the difference in everyday life but I got an invitation
everyday life but I got an invitation
everyday life but I got an invitation while I was in the forest of the Western
while I was in the forest of the Western
while I was in the forest of the Western God and I got this invitation to go
God and I got this invitation to go
God and I got this invitation to go celebrate Christmas seriously
celebrate Christmas seriously
celebrate Christmas seriously someone sent me a letter saying would
someone sent me a letter saying would
someone sent me a letter saying would you like to celebrate Christmas with me
you like to celebrate Christmas with me
you like to celebrate Christmas with me and it was in a community in northern
and it was in a community in northern
and it was in a community in northern India where somebody from Pearson had
India where somebody from Pearson had
India where somebody from Pearson had been in here before and they learned
been in here before and they learned
been in here before and they learned that I was in the country invited me on
that I was in the country invited me on
that I was in the country invited me on a two-day train journey to go north us
a two-day train journey to go north us
a two-day train journey to go north us to celebrate Christmas well I think for
to celebrate Christmas well I think for
to celebrate Christmas well I think for a few months in that community and when
a few months in that community and when
a few months in that community and when they believe in this integrated
they believe in this integrated
they believe in this integrated community that was celebrating feast
community that was celebrating feast
community that was celebrating feast days from religions from all over the
days from religions from all over the
days from religions from all over the world it’s still there and still growing
world it’s still there and still growing
world it’s still there and still growing very strong they encourage people from
very strong they encourage people from
very strong they encourage people from other religions to come together and
other religions to come together and
other religions to come together and that the teacher there is was a Sikh
that the teacher there is was a Sikh
that the teacher there is was a Sikh teacher so many of the people at the
teacher so many of the people at the
teacher so many of the people at the community are speak so much of the daily
community are speak so much of the daily
community are speak so much of the daily practice is based on that tradition
practice is based on that tradition
practice is based on that tradition that’s where I really became grounded
that’s where I really became grounded
that’s where I really became grounded and the idea that interfaith could be a
and the idea that interfaith could be a
and the idea that interfaith could be a way of life
way of life
way of life that interface would teach us things
that interface would teach us things
that interface would teach us things about how to live each of our lives
about how to live each of our lives
about how to live each of our lives everyday and that also where I got the
everyday and that also where I got the
everyday and that also where I got the chance to try out new skills things I
chance to try out new skills things I
chance to try out new skills things I didn’t always do when I was here in
didn’t always do when I was here in
didn’t always do when I was here in Canada one of them was we were having a
Canada one of them was we were having a
Canada one of them was we were having a festival and we needed a mask and this
festival and we needed a mask and this
festival and we needed a mask and this was not a tire you can go and pick off a
was not a tire you can go and pick off a
was not a tire you can go and pick off a Google map so I I sketched something out
Google map so I I sketched something out
Google map so I I sketched something out of a piece of paper and above it thought
of a piece of paper and above it thought
of a piece of paper and above it thought I love your map are you an artist and
I love your map are you an artist and
I love your map are you an artist and again this was a time when I could try
again this was a time when I could try
again this was a time when I could try on different ideas so I said well I like
on different ideas so I said well I like
on different ideas so I said well I like to do that does that make me an artist
to do that does that make me an artist
to do that does that make me an artist and she invited me to design the chapter
and she invited me to design the chapter
and she invited me to design the chapter headings for her text book she was
headings for her text book she was
headings for her text book she was reading a text book on different
reading a text book on different
reading a text book on different religions and I thought from a small
religions and I thought from a small
religions and I thought from a small publisher
publisher
publisher yeah so I worked with her and I designed
yeah so I worked with her and I designed
yeah so I worked with her and I designed these chapter headings for each chapter
these chapter headings for each chapter
these chapter headings for each chapter in her book and then I ended up working
in her book and then I ended up working
in her book and then I ended up working on the pronunciation guide at the end of
on the pronunciation guide at the end of
on the pronunciation guide at the end of the book and it turns out she was
the book and it turns out she was
the book and it turns out she was actually the major religious text book
actually the major religious text book
actually the major religious text book writer for prentice hall international
writer for prentice hall international
writer for prentice hall international publisher and I was able to come back to
publisher and I was able to come back to
publisher and I was able to come back to Canada when I went to university and all
Canada when I went to university and all
Canada when I went to university and all of the religion classes were using this
of the religion classes were using this
of the religion classes were using this textbook and so that was exciting and it
textbook and so that was exciting and it
textbook and so that was exciting and it meant I could talk to professor’s here
meant I could talk to professor’s here
meant I could talk to professor’s here in Canada and I could go to classes and
in Canada and I could go to classes and
in Canada and I could go to classes and talk about who it was broke the process
talk about who it was broke the process
talk about who it was broke the process of the book and then also the
of the book and then also the
of the book and then also the experiences in that place that led to
experiences in that place that led to
experiences in that place that led to the future to future workshops and
the future to future workshops and
the future to future workshops and studying of the sacred places and really
studying of the sacred places and really
studying of the sacred places and really became what I now look back on as my
became what I now look back on as my
became what I now look back on as my favorite chapter the thing that I didn’t
favorite chapter the thing that I didn’t
favorite chapter the thing that I didn’t realize at the time was that I was using
realize at the time was that I was using
realize at the time was that I was using this design process I was using this
this design process I was using this
this design process I was using this process of trying to think about
process of trying to think about
process of trying to think about creating ideas to develop the design I
creating ideas to develop the design I
creating ideas to develop the design I have here on the board is from the
have here on the board is from the
have here on the board is from the Stanford d.school
Stanford d.school
Stanford d.school there’s lots of these though lots of
there’s lots of these though lots of
there’s lots of these though lots of people are getting excited about using
people are getting excited about using
people are getting excited about using some of the tools that have come from
some of the tools that have come from
some of the tools that have come from that area and using them in this context
that area and using them in this context
that area and using them in this context so what I did first was I gathered a
so what I did first was I gathered a
so what I did first was I gathered a group of people around me it was Pearson
group of people around me it was Pearson
group of people around me it was Pearson College it was a chance to connect with
College it was a chance to connect with
College it was a chance to connect with other people I also created the tools I
other people I also created the tools I
other people I also created the tools I needed to have empathy for what I needed
needed to have empathy for what I needed
needed to have empathy for what I needed in the world but also what other people
in the world but also what other people
in the world but also what other people needed in the world next I got the
needed in the world next I got the
needed in the world next I got the chance to really come up with a lot of
chance to really come up with a lot of
chance to really come up with a lot of ideas so crossing the country and
ideas so crossing the country and
ideas so crossing the country and talking to young
talking to young
talking to young well gave me the chance to come up with
well gave me the chance to come up with
well gave me the chance to come up with lots of ideas talk to many different
lots of ideas talk to many different
lots of ideas talk to many different people it was the ultimate brainstorm of
people it was the ultimate brainstorm of
people it was the ultimate brainstorm of how interfaith dialogue could lead to
how interfaith dialogue could lead to
how interfaith dialogue could lead to peace and how it could happen in our own
peace and how it could happen in our own
peace and how it could happen in our own communities after that I got I was able
communities after that I got I was able
communities after that I got I was able to come back to Pearson college really
to come back to Pearson college really
to come back to Pearson college really align with what the big ideas were what
align with what the big ideas were what
align with what the big ideas were what was the big question that was facing us
was the big question that was facing us
was the big question that was facing us in the world today and how could we
in the world today and how could we
in the world today and how could we really enjoyed what was the big question
really enjoyed what was the big question
really enjoyed what was the big question that was speaking me about how I wanted
that was speaking me about how I wanted
that was speaking me about how I wanted to live and what experiences did I need
to live and what experiences did I need
to live and what experiences did I need to feel that out and then the ultimate
to feel that out and then the ultimate
to feel that out and then the ultimate prototype the chance to go and live in
prototype the chance to go and live in
prototype the chance to go and live in an interface environment those of you
an interface environment those of you
an interface environment those of you who know me personally and some of you
who know me personally and some of you
who know me personally and some of you in the room and on livestream do I don’t
in the room and on livestream do I don’t
in the room and on livestream do I don’t live intentional education community
live intentional education community
live intentional education community however many of those idea that I tested
however many of those idea that I tested
however many of those idea that I tested out at that time are ones that I play
out at that time are ones that I play
out at that time are ones that I play true to now as well and finally the
true to now as well and finally the
true to now as well and finally the chance for feedback which is very
chance for feedback which is very
chance for feedback which is very important in this design process of
important in this design process of
important in this design process of getting ideas for people and how that
getting ideas for people and how that
getting ideas for people and how that plant the feedback on my own life
plant the feedback on my own life
plant the feedback on my own life choices but also being back at a
choices but also being back at a
choices but also being back at a university in Canada and getting
university in Canada and getting
university in Canada and getting feedback on that process of how that was
feedback on that process of how that was
feedback on that process of how that was relegated I was surprised how much
relegated I was surprised how much
relegated I was surprised how much things changed for me I was surprised
things changed for me I was surprised
things changed for me I was surprised how much almost unintentionally the kind
how much almost unintentionally the kind
how much almost unintentionally the kind of thing I wanted to do in the world
of thing I wanted to do in the world
of thing I wanted to do in the world changed because of my efforts people
changed because of my efforts people
changed because of my efforts people around me come up with ideas connect
around me come up with ideas connect
around me come up with ideas connect with the big ideas to try things out and
that ended up being a recipe for really
that ended up being a recipe for really wonderful designing of what happened so
wonderful designing of what happened so
wonderful designing of what happened so this is what I leave you with this
this is what I leave you with this
this is what I leave you with this framework is not a tool box but the
framework is not a tool box but the
framework is not a tool box but the framework ways that you can think about
framework ways that you can think about
framework ways that you can think about the next parts of your life and whatever
the next parts of your life and whatever
the next parts of your life and whatever stage you’re in in designing the next
stage you’re in in designing the next
stage you’re in in designing the next chapter and designing the life and also
chapter and designing the life and also
chapter and designing the life and also to remember that uncertainty is likely
to remember that uncertainty is likely
to remember that uncertainty is likely part of it and that it is only in
part of it and that it is only in
part of it and that it is only in hindsight sometimes that were able to
hindsight sometimes that were able to
hindsight sometimes that were able to make those chapters of our lives thank
make those chapters of our lives thank
make those chapters of our lives thank you very much
you very much
you very much [Applause]
”
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