" I'm King (Queen) of the World"

Hello Dr. Watson can you hear me? Now I know what Alexander Graham Bell must have felt like when he uttered those words and reached into the darkness to connect with his colleague, Dr. Watson, for the first time using his newly created device called the telephone. In that brief moment, the floodgate of possibilities opened in his mind and he saw a glimpse of what the future held.

Now, granted, the miniscule feat I accomplished will not go down in the annals of history or transform the world in any way, but for one shining moment I was a kindred spirit with Alexander Graham Bell.

How can I convey that feeling? I felt like Jack (Leonardo De Caprio), standing high on the rails of the bow of the Titanic as it glided through the icy dark waters, fearless, arms outstretched, ready to accept all challenges as the icy wind of the North Atlantic danced by his cheeks in the relative darkness.

“Yes, that’s exactly how it felt, me the Charlie Brown of cyberspace, I was at the peak of my game and Lucy wasn’t there to trip me or berate me. I am almost afraid to even whisper this, but it was GREAT. It was superb, exhilarating, exciting, and FUN!

I stumbled out of the chair after I signed out of that realm, dazed and amazed, but for that one fleeting moment the thought permeated my mind, I DID IT---for that one moment---I felt like shouting, “I AM KING (QUEEN) OF THE WORLD”.

Now I am not for one moment foolish enough to believe that I performed this feat WELL and I am certain that my colleagues did not think beyond the notion of, “When is this OVER?” but, you know what, that is perfectly okay, because for me, I have broken through the barrier. I have overcome the self imposed fear I had of “steering the bus” in this other realm. And the best part for me is that it has opened up so many possibilities!

My mind has been buzzing with ideas for cyberspace classes and online learning experiences since I signed off and silence again muffled my mike and the voices from cyberspace no longer hummed in my headset. Now the quest becomes closing the gap between what I WANT to be able to create in cyberspace and what I am currently ABLE (due to lack of skill level) to create technologically.
I have to ramp up my capabilities. I need to learn soooooo much more about harnessing and conquering virtual worlds, animation, video, better audio, etc., etc. and I need to work on improving my own small part in the segue of this production----my content, clarity, the flow of my class,etc.,etc.

Before I can begin to bring any of my ideas to fruition, I have to learn so much. Because you see some people dwell on WHAT IS, but I am one of those dreamers who revel in WHAT MIGHT BE and the door has been “cracked” open and I have seen the first sliver of light slipping through and now I want to be able to open that door by gaining the knowledge I need to bask in that light and make that light bright, clear, warm and shining. A bright and shining light that can be seen and appreciated by others, and can serve the purpose of shedding a reflective prism of knowledge to those who find it both worthwhile and enjoyable.

As for me, I am so excited about opening that door and ramping up for all of the possibilities that I can’t wait to gain the skill level to throw the door open wide and bask in the light. It will take some time for me to morph into the cyber instructor who can generate a really worthwhile “shining” cyber experience in an online class, but there is a tiny voice inside telling me, you can do this, you have discovered a new outlet where you can relish in the creativity. You can develop the skills needed to do this. This is only the beginning, but I have tasted the exhilaration and I have glimpsed that sliver of light and I am anxious to move forward to the next level.

I feel the passion growing and I know what needs to be done. It won’t be quick or easy, but I know whatever I have to do will be worth it. I am so certain that I can pry open that door and ramp up the candescence of the light until the gleam will be quite impressive. One day that light may be so brilliant that you might even need to squint, but you won’t be able to avoid being drawn to that light like a moth is on a summer night.

As for me, I will continue to revel in these new beginnings and keep preparing---peering forward imagining the potent light that is going to pour through that door when I am capable of opening it.

I am certain, I can do this, so sure in fact, that I may go out and buy myself some sunglasses so that I will be prepared when that day arrives when I can finally swing that door open wide and that light shines forth for miles.