My guest today, Tina Kirwin-McGinley, is a teacher of the deaf and has worked in schools in Manchester for over thirty years. She is also a swimmer, cyclist and dear friend to many.
We could talk about all of the above attributes, but I want to focus on Tina's gift for making life better for everybody by always leaving a place better than how she found it.
We talk about -
Taking responsibility for things that are broken in the local neighbourhood; The Planters Project
- Noticing what is wrong
- Taking responsibility to make things right
- Asking the right questions
- Making things more beautiful so everyone can benefit
Being the person who notices and puts things right
- Deciding not to turn a blind eye
- Being persistent enough to take consistent, planned steps and follow up.
- Making the time for a long-term commitment and persevering.
Planning the steps to take and overcoming resistance; Playing Field Project.
- Transforming a derelict space and seeing the potential
- Sharing tasks amongst others and addressing concerns.
- Persevering
- Creating something beautiful and attending to the details
- The quiet satisfaction of keeping the space beautiful as a gift to others
The satisfaction of taking action with others; - Wombling
- The choice to be the person who makes the neighbourhood a better place to live
- Why don't people help?
- Being active and noticing things
- Make your voice heard and ask why.
Civic responsibility and pride in where people live, work, and travel
- Whose responsibility is it to fix things?
- What steps can individuals take?
- Improving things for others and yourself
Directing energy into something that might make a positive difference for everybody
- The importance of planning the next steps
- Mapping a course of direction
- Nurturing of community and friendship
- The importance of loyalty and long-term engagement
- Being patient
References:
The book I gave to Tina was Ikigai, The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life: Hector Garcia and Francesc Mirales