Realizing Ordinary: Mark Johnson

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Playing for change

We interrupt our regularly scheduled post to bring you this treat from Playing for Change: Peace through Music.

Music is a dominant feature in the Village of Ordinary, as important as food and friendship. Mark Johnson, Jonathon Walls and the people of Playing for Change believe music can help the people of the world make peace. They circle the globe, videotaping ordinary street musicians playing the same song, just as you see in the vid above.

That isn't all they do. Go to their website and learn more. Be amazed.

Everywhere I turn, people are building Ordinary, one idea, one video, one committed step at a time. Who do you know who is building a piece of Ordinary? Share the vision. Tell us about it.

Ordinary Heroes Award

They are everywhere. In corporate highrises and in remote villages miles far from cell phone towers. They're sitting next to you on the bus. They're building schools in Africa. They're pounding the marble halls of Congress, seeking protection for our children, our health, our food, water, air and planet. They save heirloom seeds, plant organic gardens, teach the rest of us how to adopt sustainable lifestyles in our throw-away, buy-more culture. They save the forests, rivers and oceans without which we cannot survive.Their work brings the vision of the Village of Ordinary a little closer to reality every day. They show us how wonderfully possible it is to live in a world much like Ordinary right now. They are my Ordinary Heroes. I tell their stories on this blog frequently, because it is people like them, people like you and me, who are building Ordinary.

Human relationship

Ordinary people making a difference

Sustainable options

Realizing Ordinary