MAPP taught me that friendship, family, and service are the cornerstones of a meaningful life. I am deeply grateful to my MAPP community for continually inspiring me to see the world through new perspectives and to remain a lifelong learner.
Towards the end of my journey in MAPP, Jer Clifton shared the inspiring story of the Wright brothers, a story that embodies so many core concepts of Positive Psychology: grit, creativity, hope, determination, and love. During the MAPP tradition of the Quaker meeting, I reflected on how many of us had traveled by plane to be there, and how the airplane itself symbolizes what was once deemed impossible but has since become an ordinary part of life.
By extraordinary chance, a year later I found myself standing at Kitty Hawk, the birthplace of flight. In this photo I took, the small space where the face is framed feels like a window of opportunity, a reminder of how important it is to keep seeing things through new connections and to continue learning. This image serves as a reflection of my learning in MAPP: to never stop trying, to never stop believing, and to always work toward inspiring greater agency for hope in the world.
No dream is too small, and when ideas take flight, we can reach new heights together.
-Roger Irwin, MAPP 19
