Magical Mystery Tweet: In Celebration of Random Paths & Sharing the Passion

December 26, 1967 is a date that rings for some fans and critics as being the nadir of The Beatles trajectory as a band. The BBC first aired their romp of film known as “Magical Mystery Tour.” Even though the film gave us timeless classics from the band like “I Am the Walrus” and “The Fool on the Hill,” universal critical pans followed upon its airing on British television. “Magical Mystery Tour” is typically viewed as an overindulged home movie created in the psychedelic haze of Summer of Love. It is a largely loose film that details the whimsical misadventures of a group of passengers on a wild bus ride. There isn’t much of a plot and the final product shows just that. “Magical Mystery Tour” came in the wake of a year in Beatles history that spawned three major musical quantum leaps for the band:

“Strawberry Fields Forever”/”Penny Lane”: The Double-A Sided Single that signaled a paradigm shift for the band
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”: the masterpiece album that changed the way we view modern music
“All You Need Is Love”: their live worldwide performance signaling a new global anthem of peace in the middle of the 1967 Summer of Love

More than anything in the repertoire of The Beatles, this silly pet project of a film has changed my life all in part to a simple post on Twitter one year ago.

Enter December 26, 2016 and I am conducting my annual tradition of viewing “Magical Mystery Tour” at home. A sense of well-being had overcome me. I was taking time to indulge in my passion for my favorite band. I am free in the peace of being an unabashed fan.

Although I have a loving family, they are not the hugest fans of The Beatles. They love their music but they are very patient with this rabid fan. My closest friends who are just as passionate as I am are spread over the globe so I am usually alone in this simple tradition of playing the film.

At this moment, I am feeling the need to share. Why not? It’s the day after Christmas and I am immersed in the peace of Winter Break. It’s Boxing Day in England and I think it would be neat if my Twitter post fell on welcoming eyes across the pond.

It is important to proclaim our passion for what we love. There are many reasons why this is so. Passions must spread, echo and resonate. That resonance of passion can compel others to join in the synergy. It can also serve as an invitation for others to share their respective passions. The music of The Beatles has done that for me as an individual and educator on a myriad of levels.

There are many paths to choose to proclaim this passion for a seemingly failed effort of a film by a band I cherish. I choose Twitter for this occasion.

The simple tweet I posted showed a pic of my DVD Copy of “Magical Mystery Tour” perched on my couch. It captured a moment of a fan sharing his unbridled geekiness for a band. No one was tagged or mentioned–just a few words sent out “Across the Universe.”

This post fell across the feed of Nicole Michael of 910 Public Relations. Nicole is a lifelong fan of The Beatles. She represents Beatle authors and artists. She sends out a reply and then a conversation follows. The conversation serves as a catalyst for a blog and radio series celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club” album by The Beatles. Writing the blog ignites the courage in me to pursue the recurring dream of writing a book. A proposal is sent to the truly amazing Dave and Shelley Burgess of Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. A dream book combining my passions for The Beatles and Education is now upcoming for 2018 thanks to their sincere and heroic support.

I am blessed by the genuine support and belief of these particular individuals.

The courage inside of me led to a tweet…

A tweet led to a conversation…

A conversation sparked belief, collaboration and action.

Twitter is not an omnipotent salve and it is not the moral of this blog. There are many positive attributes associated with Twitter. It is an important pathway for dynamic action that works. I find it being a helpful resource and digital Sherpa for connections. It has led me to many new friendships, positive personalized learning experiences and sincerely rich experiences. The courage to post and share one’s passion is the catalyst. As educators, we must be relentless in igniting our courage and supporting those who do the same.

We have so many positive educational hashtags out there like #LeadLAP from Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess or #JoyfulLeaders from Bethany Hill. These hashtags not only uplift but they compel other educators to share positive, creative and innovative practices in the Schoolhouse. This proactive sharing compels multitudes of positive action in service and support of the Schoolhouse. Twitter is one pathway that works for some and there are a host of others that coincide in ways that spark others to action.

The Beatles had the courage to make a zippy, goofy film filled with amazing music. They withstood the barbs of confused fans and angry critics in the wake of the release of “Magical Mystery Tour.” In the aftermath of that film, The Beatles gave us more life-changing music like “Hey Jude,” “Let It Be” and “Here Comes the Sun.” Their final studio albums recorded after “Magical Mystery Tour” serve as the template for the band’s lasting legacy still resonating over 40 years after their breakup. The band believed in their vision and collaboration and ignored the condescending words of negative criticism.

The lesson of the seemingly failed effort of “Magical Mystery Tour” reverberates today for all educators. We are told to hold fast to tried and true traditions of instructional practices. We sometimes allow the status quo to cloud our vision and stifle our passion. It is easy to follow the proven path in the Schoolhouse and it may yield acceptable results. Does it truly add to the nobility of our profession? Can we add to the move of doing what is best for our kids, colleagues and communities? Are we changing the world if we subscribe to the proven, well-worn rut? I submit a resounding affirmative to those questions and I am living proof of that response.

We can change the world as Educators with the courage we all possess and the collaboration we all share.

It is necessary to embrace the courage to be whimsical and share the passions that inspire us. Imagine the possibilities of passion-sharing and one is left with the sparks to change our world.

I am grateful for the courage to share on that fateful day last year. Most importantly, I am grateful for the connection experienced in sincere individuals like Nicole, Dave and Shelley and many others. One step forward sparks so many life-changing moments and new friendships.

Here’s to your next act of courage and the resulting world-changing effect posted in a Magical Mystery Tweet!