Reshuffling the deck

I learned my first card trick at age 10 and I was immediately smitten by the enchantment of performing magic. Soon I was taking lessons at Ken’s Magic Shop and then with a private trainer (who happened to have been one of David Copperfield’s early teachers). By 12, I had graduated from charming my parents and their friends to performing paid gigs at kids' birthday parties. It was my first taste of the world of business, and it was a deck of cards that had opened the door. As a quiet kid from the New Jersey suburbs, those magic cards came to represent a path to possibility … of stepping out of my comfort zone, learning something new, and bringing joy to people.

Over the years, my interest in magic began to wane but the significance of playing cards in my life never diminished. As an adult, I formed a special connection with my father-in-law despite never having had a conversation with him. We came from different worlds. He lived on a farm in the east of Poland - never having spoken of a world of English. We could only communicate through a game of cards, and we sat at his kitchen table and played for hours. I still remember the glimmer in his eye just before he was about to go Gin, and I smile when I think about how we playfully teased and taunted each other with our glances and gestures. Those cards came to represent competition, fun, and the human connection.

As today is my birthday, it’s meaningful to consider that the 52 cards in a deck aptly represent each year of my life. And as each suit symbolizes a different season of the year, it’s only fitting for me to be in a reflective mood - contemplating the passage of time. But for me, now is very much about being present in the current moment and also looking ahead into the future. Over the centuries each suit in a deck of cards has come to represent some powerful human concepts - many of which connect up with where I am right now in my journey and during the career break that I’m taking. Let’s have a look:

• Hearts - symbol of warmth, joy, knowledge, and love.  As I described in my recent post about crafting intentions, much of my focus during this time is on family, health, wellness and learning. This has been a time of rediscovering some of the simplest and most profound joys in life.
• Spades - symbol of intellect and action. This has been an important time to sharpen and refine my professional tool set with fresh ideas and knowledge. I’ve used this time to engage in formal and informal learning, on topics such as strategy, risk, finance, cloud computing, data analysis, and the EdTech ecosystem. 
• Diamonds - symbol of courage, energy, and wealth. Diamonds are about clarity and I’m using this time to sharpen my professional focus. This takes a degree of courage and it takes energy as I seek to unearth my own hidden gems. There’s also a good reminder here that nearly no diamond is perfect, but each possesses its own unique beauty.
• Clubs - symbol of work, will, and luck. I recently talked about expanding my connections in order to open new doors and broaden my horizons. Being in “networking mode” has entailed a combination of work, will, and a touch of luck. It’s been about joining organizations (let’s call them “clubs” for the sake of my analogy) and meeting a diversity of new people from different walks of life around the world. I recently attended the EduGrowth and EduTech meetings as part of Melbourne EdTech week, which was a great opportunity to meet friends old and new, and keep current on what’s happening and what’s emerging in my profession.

For me, this is a time of reshuffling the deck and dealing myself a new hand. And, yes, while it's about looking ahead, it’s also an opportunity to reflect proudly on how I arrived at this place. Over the passage of time, that deck of cards has enriched my life with magic; it’s challenged me to exit my comfort zone; it’s helped me bring joy to others; it’s emblazoned me with a competitive spirit; and it’s fostered human connections.

Today I have 52 reasons to feel thankful for the past and excited for what lies ahead.