We are the Fire Keepers.

"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire." – Ferdinand Foch

Sometimes it feels like the world is spinning faster than we can keep up with. We’re bombarded with disruption and chaos, and it’s tempting to believe that we just need more technology, more innovation—more things to fix it all. But recently, I was reminded of something so much deeper, so much more human.

I was fortunate to be in South Africa, walking on Cape Point, when I spoke with Craig Foster, the man behind My Octopus Teacher. I asked him, “How did we, as humans, survive through times of unimaginable disruption, when survival seemed impossible?” He said something that I will never forget: “There have been times when we even forgot about fire. But what kept us alive—what made us remember—was community. Our tribe.”

His words hit me like a bolt of lightning. It’s not the fire we build with our hands that saves us. It’s the fire we keep burning in our hearts. It’s our connection to each other that carries us through the darkest times. Chief Seattle had it right: "Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” What Chief Seattle, among so many others, is saying is that our survival, our thriving, has always depended on those invisible threads that bind us together.

So here we are, in the Age of AI, where we stand on the edge of so much possibility, but also so much uncertainty. And if you’re like me, you feel it—the pull to gather, to remember, to reignite the flame of community and shared purpose. Because the world is waiting for us. Waiting for us to remember what our ancestors knew: Our strength, our power, lies in unity. It’s how we come together to keep the flame burning, even when it feels like the world is trying to blow it out.

Imagine a world where people from all walks of life—no matter where they are or what they carry—come together with a shared purpose. A world where the wisdom of many hearts, many voices, weaves into one great fire that lights the way forward. This is the time we are living in. The ancient ones knew it, and now we must remember.

This isn’t the time to place our faith in technology alone. Technology is just a tool, just like fire. What will shape our future has never been the tool itself but how we gather around it. It’s our unity that will turn technology into something that transforms lives. It’s our shared purpose that will make these "tools" matter. Together, we can create a space where innovation, compassion, and wisdom converge—and where sparks of possibility catch fire.

This is a time when we are being called to unite, to create a new gathering place where knowledge, innovation, and compassion come together. A place where the sparks of wisdom and connection ignite new possibilities.

Think of what we can achieve when we come together:

• Collective Action: What if we decided we are each a flame, and when we unite, we become a wildfire? We could tackle the challenges that loom large—climate change, inequality, the health of our people and our planet. Our combined efforts could send solutions across the globe, creating ripples of change, touching lives everywhere.
• Unlocking Human Potential: When we come together, we don’t just solve problems—we unlock potential. Each of us becomes both a student and a teacher, carrying and sharing the light. This is how we leave a legacy. This is how we become the ancestor's future generations will thank for rising above and coming together.
• Cultural Regeneration: It’s not enough to thrive as individuals. True success comes when we lift the whole—when we ensure the fire doesn’t just warm us, but warms everyone. Our ancestors knew that a fire tended together burns brighter and stronger. "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." This is how we rise.

You see, we are not random people stumbling through life, disconnected and drifting. Though I know sometimes it feels that way. We are part of a global tribe, bound by something deeper than we can even see. Each of us is a flame, and through unity, we light the way forward. This is how we will walk through uncertainty and disruption—together.

The elders used to gather around the fire, sharing stories and wisdom, keeping each other warm with both the flame of the fire and the story burning in our hearts. Today, we are being called to gather again—not necessarily in the same physical way, but to bring together sparks of hope and possibility, igniting a fire that will light the way for generations to come.

The ancestors knew it, and now it’s our turn. We are the keepers of this fire. We are the ones who must unite to shape the future, not just for us, but for the future generations yet to come.

So let’s gather. Let’s unite. Let’s carry this flame together and create a future where our connection is the fire that lights the world.

Let’s do this—together.