TedxPortland put on its seventh annual event this past Saturday at the Keller Auditorium, and I was lucky enough to be the attendee to represent Vanity Affair Events. As I walked up to the doors of the Auditorium, I felt an overwhelming sense of excitement as I was about to be granted access to the minds of some of Portland’s most creative thinkers. I had no expectations as I organized my personal belongings and got comfortable in my seat. I figured I would listen to this group of chosen individuals talk about their hard earned success and well deserved accomplishments, and maybe find the motivation to tackle some of my own projects; that I would leave the event more knowledgeable than I had been before I sat down. And maybe, just maybe, I would hear an idea worth spreading. What I did not realize at the time, was that it would not be an idea worth spreading, but perhaps a deeper discovery I would like to share with all of you.

“Travel more, spend less.” “If you can dream it, you can build it.” “Stop chasing. Start doing.” These were the kind of messages that were conveyed throughout the day. Speaker after speaker, the audience was built up to leave the Keller Auditorium with enough confidence and inspiration to tackle the world’s biggest problems. So why could I not stop thinking about LOVE? Of all things – LOVE! 

As each speaker stood on stage and spoke about vastly different topics – robotics, virtual reality, the 9th planet, travel, knitting (yes you heard me, knitting) there was one common denominator. Love. As each speaker told their story, the story that had gotten them to this very stage, they unfolded this beautiful underlying message of love and support. Sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, partners, friends, family, and colleagues provided the support that eventually carried each person to their highest achievement. And it was clear, not a single speaker made it to that stage alone. As I sat in my seat, alone, I could not help but think about how I too had made it here. I thought about the overwhelming love and support I have received from those around me. I thought about the relationships I had built, the friendships I helped form, and the everlasting bonds that were a result of all of this. And then I thought about us – Vanity Affair Events. How what we call “work”, isn’t work at all. It’s a gift. A gift we have been given to help spread the love. Every single day, we get to take part in events that only exist because of the love shared between family and friends. Even the world’s greatest minds and most intellectual beings NEED the support of those around them to even consider their work to be of value.

Let the summary of my first contribution to this blog be a truth: While we may not have ideas worth spreading, we know love is worth spreading.

Love,

Alex