Spirit Magazine - November 2013 - (Page 97)

$15,000 to send children to Disneyland. In fact, it can be something deeply personal, something that matters only to one or two people. Cesar Gutierrez, a former coworker of Sheen's, drops by the office to help out. Sheen sets him up on a conference room table with a few boxes of promise cards, which Gutierrez counts into stacks of 10 before laying them back in the box in a crisscross pattern. He's written his own promise cards already, including one to run four 5Ks (since fulfilled) and another to his in-laws to print photos of their grandchildren ("I have not done that yet"). But he's about to write down his biggest commitment yet on a card he'll give to his wife. Gutierrez's job requires him to travel a lot. He does it to support his family but consequently doesn't see them as much as he'd like. "So I'm about to give her a promise that we're going to make this work," he says. "I'm going to find a way to show her that she's my No. 1 priority." Even as he's seeking to rearrange his time commitments, Gutierrez wishes he could volunteer more with Because I Said I Would. "It's something really positive that he's stirring in people," he says about Sheen. "It's the movement, but he's driving it." There's no disputing that Sheen is the leader-one who leads, of course, by example. But the impact of promises is definitely a two-way street. Sheen was so touched after Matthew Cordle followed through on his pledge to take full responsibility for his actions that Sheen himself wrote a card stating, "I will never drink and drive." He gave it to Cordle. The word never-along with always, I will, and I'm going to-has an almost sacred meaning for Sheen. He thinks long and hard before he uses it. "When I say never, I mean never. If I have a toast at a wedding that has champagne in it, I am taking a cab home," he says. Another promise had such an impact on Sheen that he uses a photograph of the card and its writer as his computer's screensaver. The card was written by a 33-year-old from Portland, Oregon, named Bryon Otto Pastian. The promise: "I will defeat brain cancer again!" Every now and then, Sheen gets back in touch with someone who shares a promise with him. And every now and then, Sheen follows up, hoping to hear news that the person has made good on their word. Getting the message from Pastian was one such instance. A few months after he received it, Sheen emailed Pastian again. After doing so, he Google-searched Pastian's name and discovered that the former Marine had passed away in June, a month after Sheen had originally been in touch. "I just lost it," Sheen remembers. "It was one of the saddest moments of Because I Said I Would. But that is still, to me, a promise. If you die trying to do something, that to me is a promise, not a goal." sunshine Extended Stay Reimagined Element hotels are ﬂooded with daylight so you feel happier, healthier and more productive. Whether staying for a few days or a few weeks, discover the essentials of balanced travel. Space to live your life Book now for 20% off elementhotels.com M ESSER, THE CHIEF volunteer, says that Sheen's greatest strength lies in the enthusiasm he has for ideas. "We could do this-we could do this!" she says, imitating him. Many of Sheen's big ideas revolve around future projects. In order to maximize the potential to go viral, he declines to reveal too many details, but he offers a few cryptic hints. The next project will probably include many more people, incorporating their individual promises into a collective whole, he says. "We haven't done anything like that yet. It's always been an individual person's effort, but we can be individuals inside of a larger effort." Another one of those ideas is the big-picture vision for Because I Said I Would to be completely self-sustaining. For now, donations represent a sizeable portion of its budget. Although he is grateful for them, that fact doesn't sit well with Sheen. "My dad wouldn't have wanted me to ©2012-2013 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Element and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its afﬁliates. For complete terms and conditions of this offer, please visit elementhotels.com http://www.elementhotels.com http://www.elementhotels.com http://www.elementhotels.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - November 2013

Spirit Magazine - November 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Wise Guide
Business
Winter to the Ultimate Degree
The Every Day Action Hero
Your Adventure In Memphis
Life Adventure In Memphis
Promotional Series: Spirit of Reno Tahoe
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - November 2013