Enlightenment: A Mindset Toy

Several years ago, I came across plastic toy balls that light up. Hit them against a surface and they sequence through a series of lights before going out – red, green, yellow… beautiful, I thought.

I wondered what I could do with them to increase their impact.

I had a plastic tube in which I placed the balls. I ordered tubes and more balls. A tube in which I could place fifteen balls proved ideal. I made prototypes. I contacted the maker of the toy balls with the hope of partnering… a novelty item… to be sold in novelty shops, museums, etc.

What to call it? Enlightenment… a mindset toy.

I was quite enthusiastic about it for a while. Make some money! Yes, absolutely! However, though fun while it lasted, nothing came of it.

I have thought about using Enlightenment in presentations. What a stark difference between the tube at rest and the tube in movement, the balls lighting up as they hit one another. Easily a metaphor: the difference between drifting and being on purpose; the difference between thinking with and without the imagination. The life coach and author Maria Nemeth talks about the difference between your drama and your dreams. Enlightenment (metaphorically speaking) depicts that difference.

David Thomas, PhD