Living In Crescendo - Why Life Should Keep Getting Bigger.

What if the second half of life could be louder, braver, and more generous than the first? We sit down with longtime friend and educator Pete Swanberg to trace a path from elementary classrooms and adapted PE to founding an international special needs sports collective that brings inclusion to life through play. 

This is a story about living in crescendo...choosing purpose, relationship, and flow...while turning grief and transition into fuel for service.

Pete shares the moments that shaped him: the joy of working with students with multiple disabilities, the freedom he found in adapted PE, and the research that reframed his plans for retirement. Then we get practical. Adaptive Play Collective runs five-day camps with buddies for every child, sensory-rich stations, take-home equipment, and a collective of specialists who train and consult so local teams can keep the work going long after the trip ends.

Board member and educator Aubrey Colton joins us from Jordan to paint a vivid picture of the need and the hope. She shares what families face—stigma, scarce resources, and kids who rarely leave home—and the transformation that happens when a room is designed for access and joy. 

If you’re curious about midlife pivots, this conversation delivers heart and how-to. 

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage for their next chapter, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. Then tell us: what small step will help your live in crescendo today?

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Guest Information
Pete Swanberg is a husband of 40 years to Beth, and a father of 5 young adults.  He retired in 2025 after a 37-year career in education.  He’s the chief dreamer behind PlayAbility Camps, bringing movement, laughter, and belonging to kids with disabilities around the world. 
When he’s not planning adapted sports camps, you can find him taking long walks with Beth, browsing the shelves at a local library, or having coffee with interesting people. Like Fletch!

Aubree Colton has been married for 17 years to Ben, her high school crush. She Is a mother of 3 amazing girls who have been her greatest joy and also greatest opportunity of growth to trust in God. She has a special education degree and has had the privilege of working with the special needs community in Jordan for 11 years. 
Aubree’s definition of fun is playing card games at any opportunity, hanging at a coffee shop with a friend, hiking canyons in Jordan, and finding any excuse to wear a dumb looking costume.

Resources and Links
Adapted Play Collective
Venn Diagram - Purpose
Play Ability Camps

Pete's Daily Resolution: Resolved. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I will live in crescendo. I will value relationship, pursue meaning, and maximize flow. I will let go, live fully, and move on.

Music used in this episode:
All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound.

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Transcript

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Warm Welcome And Last Episode Recap

Fletch 0:02

Welcome to the Mango Times Podcast. Hey, this is Fletch, and I want to welcome you to episode 54 of the Mango Times Podcast. Wow, you really know how to make someone feel great. The response for episode 53 with my friend Erica Conway was tremendous. I heard from a lot of you, I heard from you on social media, and for a lot of you, I heard from you in real life as I bumped into you. So thank you so much for the feedback. It was a great story, and again, I'm really thankful that she took the time to come on the Mango Times. And today we have another midlife adventure. I am going to welcome into the studio my friend Pete Swanberg, who has done a bit of a midlife shift after years of teaching. He's now running an international special needs sports collective. And you're gonna hear all about it. We're also bringing in one of his board members from Jordan to talk to us as well, to kind of tell us what it is and then what it really looks like with feet on the ground. So you're not going to want to miss this story, especially if you are in that point of life where you're wondering: can I pivot? Can I go a different direction? Can I do something brand new that maybe I don't even know how to do at this scale? This is that story. Pete will share with us how he made the decision to take this not just locally, not just nationally, but internationally. And how he faced some of the challenges and the fears, and how he collaborated with others to make this a success. I think you're really going to like this episode. So stay tuned as we head into the studio for this interview.

Pete’s Backstory And Teaching Years

Fletch 1:50

Pete, you and I have known each other for a long time. So can you give us a quick snapshot? I mean, I know teacher, father, advocate, traveler, but when you look at your life in the rearview mirror, what are the chapters that stand out to you? I I call this your superhero backstory.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Nice. Tell us who Pete Swanbring is. First of all, Andy, thank you so much for having me. And it's this is really fun to sit down with you since we've known each other for a long time now. You know, my wife, Beth, and I followed you in Kendra back then. I mean, you were the homeschool gurus, man. I remember I remember I was on your early Mango Times mailing list. Am I right? I remember when you won that that award, like school blog award.

Fletch 2:35

Yeah, yeah. The homeschool dad blog award. He's an OG, folks. I got an OG in the studio.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Yeah, we've tracked together for a while, but you know, even back then, I just loved your zany humor and your freedom. I mean, a lot of people, a lot of Christian leaders back then, and even myself, truthfully, were pretty tightly locked up. I actually, there was a long time where I wouldn't even listen to secular music, right? I spent my 90s basically listening just to Christian music and I missed out on that for you. Right? But you were kind of a light in that darkness because I'd read your Mango Times and you had this unabashed love for good secular music like Jimmy Buffett. Yeah. And it really was a breath of fresh air, and it kind of, you know, I mean, it it showed some freedom there. So I always appreciated that. Wow.

Fletch 3:29

Well, you can come on the podcast anytime, Pete. Jeez oh mez. So what about you? Tell me a little bit about you.

SPEAKER_01 3:35

Yeah, so I'm from central Illinois. I had great parents, grew up in a Lutheran church back there, met my wife in college. I actually graduated with a degree in journalism, but everything changed when I visited my wife's kindergarten classroom. I had tons more fun there than in my day job. And so at age 24, I went back to night school, got my credential, and then spent the first half of my career teaching elementary school, mostly kindergarten and first grade. And then after teaching for 15 years, I kind of hit some doldrums. I decided to move into the special education world. And I spent the next half of my career teaching adapted

Discovering Adapted PE And Its Impact

SPEAKER_01 4:15

PE, helping students with disabilities work on their gross motor skills and access the PE curriculum.

Fletch 4:21

So, what was it specifically that dreamed of that population?

SPEAKER_01 4:25

Actually, it was the freedom of the job that appealed to me originally. APE teachers are itinerant and they have a lot more autonomy than most teachers. They're not anchored to a classroom. I always watch the APE teachers come and go from my class, working with individual students, wearing workout clothes, carrying fun sports equipment. And my students that needed APE always looked forward to it. I mean, they would cheer when that student showed or when that teacher showed up in the classroom.

Fletch 4:56

It's like I chose dentistry because I got to wear scrubs.

SPEAKER_01 5:02

That's great. But it did. It just looked like a lot of fun. But you know, I wasn't seeing all the hard work that was underneath the scenes, right? Preparing for the IEPs and writing goals and doing assessments, contending with difficult behaviors, but something inside me just kind of led me toward it and told me it was a great idea.

Fletch 5:21

So, what did that work do to you? I mean, how did that shape you as a person, as a man, as a dad?

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Yeah. So, you know, I found I really enjoyed working with students with cognitive delays, and especially the ones with multiple disabilities, the ones that are the most extremely involved. And kind of for the same reason that I love teaching kindergarten and first grade. And it's because I could always handle like squirliness, the zooy youthful enthusiasm much better than I could handle outright defiance that you see in the upper grades. Okay. There's just a kind of innocent exuberance that you find in severely handicapped classrooms that you don't see anywhere else. And I love their vibes and I love the people that work with them, the special ed teachers and paraprofessionals. They're just the best type

Miracle League And Classroom Stories

SPEAKER_01 6:12

of thing.

Fletch 6:12

We bump into each other a lot on Saturday mornings out at Miracle League baseball. As most of my listeners know, Mighty Joe, our eighth, had a brain entry, and he he plays on the Miracle League baseball teams. And it's in the fall and in the spring. All I know is it's either really too cold or really too hot whenever I'm out there. But I I bump into Pete there on Saturday mornings and the whole crew. I mean, these are people gifted for it. So teachers always carry stories in their bones. And what's one story from the classroom that still comes up uninvited? Sure.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

You know, I love this question. And one of the great, greatest things about APE was just learning about different disabilities. One of my favorite all-time students has Williams syndrome. And that can cause some cardiovascular issues, some cognitive delays, but it also gives rise to some very extraordinary strengths. Strengths in language, in music, in social connections. They tend to be very friendly, and music seems to be woven into their neurological wiring. So this student just loved music and had a deep emotional connection to it. So whenever I put on songs, she would sing and she had perfect pitch. So working with her and seeing her respond to music and rhythm was just a pleasure.

Fletch 7:32

Oh, that's cool. That's funny because again, not to bring Joe up, but he's got perfect pitch.

SPEAKER_01 7:37

Really? Yeah.

Fletch 7:38

I mean, our family loves to sing, but he's one that out of the gates came that way. So let's let's talk about this pivot. At some point, you felt some shifting, a tug, a change in the tempo. When did you feel like that chapter was closing? Was it just purely retirement?

SPEAKER_01 7:57

Yeah, you know, I've had June 2025 as a retirement in mind ever since I started teaching. Um fortunately, educators have a good pension system, and so you can start from the get-go to figure out when you're going to maximize and kind of hit that sweet spot where it makes sense to retire. But I I want to take a minute and talk about my older brother, John, too. I loved him dearly, and he died too soon at age 67. But anyway, he retired early and just kind of stayed at stayed at home and faded away. I can remember encouraging him to find someplace to volunteer to get him out of the house. And he said, Pete, I can't even get myself out of the house to substitute teaching we need the money. What makes you think that I can volunteer anywhere?

Fletch 8:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

So that just struck me as incredibly sad

Retirement, Loss, And Living In Crescendo

SPEAKER_01 8:50

sad. And about that time, I read Stephen Covey's book entitled Life in Crescendo. And here, crescendo is a metaphor for a life that keeps building in significance right until the end.

Fletch 9:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

Covey's main point is that living the second half of life should be with greater purpose, meaning, and contribution than the first. And he challenges our cultural assumption that life inevitably declines after midlife. Instead, he argues that our capacity to serve and love others can keep increasing if we choose it. So after Johnny died, I started thinking about these areas deeply, and I pri I prayed about becoming a man who lived in crescendo.

Fletch 9:36

So before we got on the line, you told me you have a daily resolution. So why don't you share with the audience what your daily resolution is?

SPEAKER_01 9:43

I say this out loud at the end of my daily prayer time and meditations. Resolved. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I will live in crescendo. I will value relationship, pursue meaning, and maximize flow. I will let go, live fully, and move on.

Fletch 10:03

All right, I'm gonna put that in the show notes so that if people want to print it out and put it on their laptop or their motorcycle or their whiteboard. I've just nailed all three of my things right. Um that's great. That's great. Okay. So you're hitting the sweet spot of this year on the Mango Times about it's not over. Right. Uh and it doesn't actually fade away, but you're looking at how it builds up. And I love talking to people about this. So you are just nailing right where I want to go. So you I mean, obviously you knew it was time to retire, because there was that sweet spot. Like if I put in another minute, it doesn't help my retirement. And this is a good time to step away. But you also didn't just say, I'm done. I'm just gonna go pick up a pair of binoculars and bird watch. I'm using my example here. How's that changed you?

SPEAKER_01 10:58

Yeah. Well, so are you familiar with the Harvard's men's study?

Fletch 11:04

No, but I'm excited

Grief, Detachment, And Hope

Fletch 11:05

to hear about it. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

Well, it's the longest-running study on happiness following men throughout their whole lives. But anyway, the greatest takeaway is this that close relationships, more than wealth or success, are the greatest predictor of a long and meaningful life.

Fletch 11:21

Okay. So community, essentially. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

Yeah. And I've also learned that flourishing comes from meaning and from being fully engaged in what we do. So I choose to pursue meaning and intentionally put myself in the position to achieve that flow state, right? That state where you're totally absorbed and focused on an activity where time seems to fade out and you perform at your best.

Fletch 11:47

What hinders that on a day-to-day basis for Pete Swanbrook?

SPEAKER_01 11:51

Being distracted.

Fletch 11:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Yeah. When I spend too much time up in my head and not enough time serving or reaching out to others or doing doing things that build a nonprofit. The last part of that resolution is let go, live fully, and move on. Okay. And I think that this issue is something that's very important for everyone that's in our stage of life. Andy, my I'm a little ahead of you. That stems from my need to learn how to face loss because life has just made it abundantly clear that one of the most important things I can do in moving forward is to learn how to steward my own grief and my pain well. I've known more grief in the last decade than I ever have, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. Um, as we get older, it just revs up. Our bodies break down, our loved ones die, relationships end, not all conflicts can be resolved. And it's not healthy to repress that pain or to let it control your life. Our friend Chris Ownath calls it the bowling alley of life. If we roll our ball in one gutter, we say, Whoa is me. And if we roll it in the other gut gutter, we say, Oh, screw it. We need to stay in the middle of that alley. And so, whatever the loss is, I want to allow it, bless what I've lost, and release it. John Eldridge calls this benevolent detachment. Let go, live fully, and move on. And I love the scene at the end of the at the end of Lord of the Rings where Sam wakes up and he sees Gandalf and he says, Gandalf, I thought you were dead. But then again, I thought I was dead too. Is everything sad going to come untrue? I think that's my hope and belief.

Fletch 13:57

Yeah, that's killer. That's great. Alright, quick mid-show pause. I want to say thank you to everyone who's been leaving reviews on Apple Podcasts. They really do mean a lot. I want to read two real quick. This one's titled, Happy 30 Years, and they left a five-star review, and they wrote, I'm glad that you're podcasting. You know what? That's short, that's honest, and I'll take it. Another one said, Fletch is a gift. Another five stars, and this reviewer said, Fletch's storytelling is top tier, and he's so inclusive and inviting with his ideas. This one really stuck with me. Thank you so much for the review. And if you're enjoying the show, a quick review on Apple Podcasts goes a long way to help others find the show. All right, back to the conversation.

What Is Adaptive Play Collective

Fletch 14:52

Why don't we briefly just tell everybody what the Adaptive Play Collective is?

SPEAKER_01 14:57

Sure. Our organization really just desires to demonstrate the love of God through caring for people with disabilities and the organizations that are already serving them. And we do this through providing sports camps, bringing along all the necessary materials for the sports camp, and to leave each participant with a sports bag so they can go home and continue practicing the activities. And then the collective part is my advisory board of 10 professionals that all have different special ed specialties, deaf and hard of hearing specialist, etc., that are available to help me write curriculum and bring trainings and also provide free consultation so the workers on the field can have the expertise they need.

Fletch 15:51

So this idea for adapted play, did it come as a slow burn or was it a lightning bolt?

SPEAKER_01 15:56

It was kind of a slow burn. The camp, the first camp we put on, we've put on two now, was so life-giving. One of the workers asked me if I could put on a similar camp in Tunisia, actually. And I said, sure. And that just kind of got me curious. Is anyone else doing this? Is there a very big need? And I really love to travel. And I wondered if this would be a great way to see the world because it was just so much fun staying in Jordan, but not really as a tourist, as a visitor and getting to know the culture and that in that way. And then I found a mentor through Score, which is an amazing organization, and he led me through the steps of writing a business plan. I did the market research, took the business plan, didn't tell anyone other than Beth, until one morning I presented it to my men's group. And these are five guys that I've done life with for many years. And to a man, they each liked the idea and encouraged me to go for it.

Fletch 16:56

All right. So right off the bat, you had encouragement and support.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Yes.

Fletch 17:00

So what problem in the world were you trying to solve?

SPEAKER_01 17:05

I would I would say I'm not really trying to solve it. I'm coming beside the people who are trying to solve it.

The Need In Developing Countries

SPEAKER_01 17:14

There's just such a gaping wound when it comes to caring for people with disabilities in developing countries. The resources just aren't there. And so anything that we can bring is able to provide a huge amount of hope and light into dark places.

Fletch 17:34

Yeah, that is great. I mean, folks, when you get to hear and see, just spending time on on Pete's website, you're gonna see a need being met that you don't even know exists for the most part. If if you don't have international experience, if you don't have special needs or disability experience, you don't even know how big this need is. I would say just locally, I tell people show up to Miracle League Baseball on a Saturday morning. It's two innings, it's the easiest baseball game you'll ever go to. And you'll get to see someone who can't even hold a bat that's in a wheelchair, that can't even push the wheelchair, and they have a helper that helps swing the bat for them and pushes them to first base, but that's not the part. It's the crowd that erupts with cheers and supports. And I'm that's great for the kid playing baseball, but for their parents who are sitting in the stand or their family that's there, to hear a crowd swell, to hear a volunteer play caller, you know, play their walk-up music. And it always gets me up to see some just little tiny child in a walker or in a wheelchair, and they're and it's back in black. Is there their walk-up music? This is great. It always kills me. All right, so midlife reinvention. It looks super sexy on Instagram, but in real life, there's always panic, there's prayer. I would say, well, there's no bad coffee, but there's sometimes bad coffee, and then just that idea of starting from scratch. So, what did this cost you to start over this idea? Emotional, financial, spiritual.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Sure. Well, you know, first of all, I'm fortunate that I don't need to draw a salary. So my, you know, my daily bread isn't dependent on making this really super successful. But there are certainly moments of self-doubt. There is a cost, a burden of responsibility. There's always more to do and learn. And for a non-digital native like myself, there's just a ton of technology to tackle. Figuring out social media, maintaining a presence there, and doing web design and newsletter and bookkeeping, the list is endless. And then, you know. My supporters are trusting me with their donations that could be going to many other great causes. And there's a weight there, and there should be. But it's all just kind of up to God. You know, I mean if He brings more partners my way, I can put on more camps. But I try to hold it all very loosely. Okay.

Fletch 20:22

So Pete, I want to ask you if anything surprised you since you've made this change. But I I want to say I don't think so. Because when when I look at the concept of the adaptive play collective, and I would think, who would run this? You, Pete. Only you. You are the person that does this. I can't think of anybody else. So then when I think of this, I go, this is a stupid question. Nothing's going to surprise you here, other than maybe, like you said, the the digital, the bookkeeping, all that stuff. Right. But but as far as the actual day-to-day playing this out, uh, have you been surprised by anything?

SPEAKER_01 21:02

No, not really. It's it's just been a lot of fun. And I love I love the friendships that I'm making. Well, if nothing surprised you, what have you learned about yourself? You know, all my career, Andy, I've been an employee. I haven't really seen myself as a leader. I've just kind of been a good soldier, right? I mean, tell me what to do and I'll do it. But this position has forced leadership upon me and it's stretched me in many ways. I'm just such a beginner when it comes to business practices. You know, it's forced me into that beginner's mind, which is very humbling. But I found that I'm learning a lot. I'm learning how to lead and I'm enjoying it.

Fletch 21:47

That's great. So I want to switch into this next part of the interview. We're going to bring in someone who's right in the middle of the action. It's your board member. She's an educator, she's a world traveler. And that is Aubrey Colton, who will be joining us from Jordan. But before we get there, let's take a quick break in this interview. If this conversation is hitting close to home for you, that's kind of the point of this season. Because Adventure at Midlife isn't about blowing things up. It's about paying attention. So if you want to stay connected to the stories on this podcast, the easiest way is to subscribe to the show wherever you're listening. I'll have new episodes dropping every other week. And they're all going to be built around good questions and real conversations. And a little bit of that well-placed shtick that you've come to expect from me here at The Mango Times. Alright, let's head back into

Enter Aubrey From Jordan

Fletch 22:46

the studio. Alright, so we're back, and again, I'm in the studio here with Pete Swanberg, and we are being joined by a very special guest. Coming into the studio, but through Zoom, is Aubrey Colton. I want to thank you for joining us. But before we get into the organization, let's give listeners your headline, Aubrey, where you are in the world, what you teach, and how you ended up connecting with Pete. Why don't you give us your superhero backstory very quickly?

SPEAKER_00 23:16

Yeah, I'm I live in Jordan. We, my husband and myself and my girls have lived here for 11 years. We I teach special education. So I have a special ed degree. And here I am doing special ed different things here in Jordan. I've worked a lot with families with kids with disabilities. But as far as how I know Pete, I know him from church back in Modesto. My I still call it my home church, even though we haven't been there for like 11 years. Obviously, we have very similar passions for kids with disabilities. And so we got closer and closer. And here I am a part of somehow a part of Adaptive Play Collective and so happy to be.

Fletch 23:55

So what gap did you did you guys see in the world that no one else seems to be filling?

SPEAKER_00 24:03

I think Adapted Play Collective invites kids with disabilities to interact physically and relationally with others. And it's a huge it's just a huge lack for kids with disabilities to get any of the normal interaction that a typical kid would get. And then on a more like practical level, Pete and the group, they come in and they do this, these amazing camps for kids, you know, kids here in Jordan. And so me on the ground, we need more manpower for the camps. So they bring the manpower, and then when they leave, we can follow up relationally with all the people.

Fletch 24:34

So this isn't just Jordan, though, is it, Pete? No, we also will be providing camps in other countries as well. For any of our listeners that are happening to be tuning in from how about Tunisia? Would you go to Tunisia?

SPEAKER_01 24:46

I love to go to Tunisia. Planning on being there this July.

Fletch 24:50

Really? Yeah. Oh, there we go, right? That was the first country I chose out of the country sphere. Man, I I can't believe I chose Tunisia. What does play do for children with special needs that nothing else can do?

SPEAKER_00 25:05

You know, I actually I think of that question, I think, you know what? I all kids learn through play. There's no there's no difference between a kid with a disability and a typical kiddo. They all learn through play. So I mean, you know, we learn through play how to how to share, how to interact with others, how to solve problems, how to give eye contact, how to make friends, you know? And so, but what kids with disabilities can learn through play that they're not receiving play here, at least in Jordan. And I think in many overseas areas and third world countries, they're not receiving play. They're they're in their houses and have no resources and no nothing for them to be out in the community to be involved.

Fletch 25:51

So let me ask this question that may or may not make the podcast. Do you think that we forget to play as adults? What do you guys think?

SPEAKER_01 26:01

There is just magic in play, whether you're playing card games or pickleball or doing improv, whatever it is. It just takes you outside of yourself. I I think one of the most important things is that it strengthens relationships, right? It you build trust when you play with each other. You have a shared joy that you experience, and then those relationships will often open doors to other areas of growth in your life.

Fletch 26:32

So walk me through an example. What does adapted play look

Inside A Five-Day Camp

Fletch 26:36

like? Paint the scene for me, you know, at at one of these camps.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

Yeah, yeah, I'd love to. So every participant has a buddy that stays with them during the camp. And we have a five-day model where we'll have four days of centers and sports for the children, and then a carnival for the families on day five. So the families can come and see some of the activities that the kids have been doing, and it gets gives us a chance to meet the whole families. It's really a joyful time.

Fletch 27:07

Tell me about these families you're serving. What are their stories?

Families, Shame, And Refugee Context

SPEAKER_00 27:10

Where we do the camp, it's in northern Jordan. It's about 30 miles from the Syrian border. About 50% of the population in the city is are refugees from Syria. It's in the middle of nowhere. And all the families that are coming or the students that are coming to the center for camp are coming from a lot of shame that is put on them. So a lot of them on their families, um, mothers are blamed for having kids with disabilities. There, they must have done something wrong. Maybe God is upset with them, or maybe there's some sort of genetic, you know, like shaming for that they have a kid with a disability at all. Most of these kids are not literally don't go outside their house. And so when they come to camp, it's just an opportunity of a lifetime for them. So that's a little bit of like the city that we that we work in. So let me tell you about, for instance, Janice, who comes to the camp. She she cannot physically walk. She does not own a wheelchair. So she's in a wheelchair in the center, and we push around and we do all the things. There's ramps there. She can go into every room, she can participate in every activity. So if you think about it, her disability of not her physical disability is what does not allow her to participate in the regular world on a regular basis. But when she's at camp and when she's in her wheelchair and when everything is accessible to her, she doesn't have a disability anymore, if you think about it.

Fletch 28:39

Yeah, that's killer. That's killer.

SPEAKER_00 28:41

It's killer. So the disability is only a disability when she's not able to do something. And so here she is now able to do everything and participate in all things. So she doesn't have a disability. You know, so it's an interesting. So this is that's Janice, okay? Yeah. For another example, Avid. He's nonverbal in a wheelchair. So his buddy pays attention to all his needs, gets to know him throughout the week, gets to know his signs and his, you know, gestures and his facial expressions, you know, pushes them around everywhere, picks them out of the wheelchair and puts them on the ground when we're doing ground play. He's able to do all the things that we're all able to do, you know. And his dad gave us feedback and was like, I've never seen Avid smile. Like he's smiled today. And so just so much joy is at this camp. One more example, Fatima, who I don't I don't know all of her diagnoses, but probably some severe ADHD, maybe on the autism spectrum, these quick stations of movement, of going to bubbles and bucket drumping, drumming, and swinging and water play and scarf dancing and target practice with balls, all these things, and how quickly it moves, it allows her to be at a faster pace, which she usually is anyway, and so she can participate better. If she is struggling in in the world in that moment and she's on the ground crying, it's okay. Like everybody, we all just take her as she is, and we keep playing and we keep engaging and we keep trying and we wait for her when she's ready to re-engage, you know? And so here Fatima, who never gets out of her house, is out of her house and engaging in the world, maybe not the way that I would love her to engage and in every activity and enjoy everything, but but she's doing more than she's ever done, and and nobody, nobody cares that she might have some time on the floor. And that to me is the kingdom of God, absolutely, because everybody's accepted as as they are.

Fletch 30:55

Wow, you came out of the gates swinging with three great stories. Aubrey, you are teaching special needs in a completely different cultural context. So, two questions for you. What challenges look the same everywhere?

What’s Universal And What’s Different

Fletch 31:10

And what has surprised you about teaching special needs in the Middle East, specifically in your context?

SPEAKER_00 31:18

Yeah, I taught for five years in the States before I came to Jordan in the school system. But there are a there, well, there are a lot of things that are the same, that is for sure. So I have a support group that I help run at my girls' school, and it's a support group for moms with kids with disabilities. And let me tell you, like, it is their fears of the future for their kids, their lack of hope, not knowing what the future holds, are their kids gonna be able to hold a job? What does inclusion look like? How can I get my kid to be included in his classmates' birthday parties? Even when he is invited to birthday parties, he's not able to do what the other kids can do in their worlds, you know, and so all of those things I saw in the States. And let me tell you this thing that I love. Parents love their kids here just like parents love their kids in the States. It's the same, it's the same everywhere. Everybody is just trying to love on the younger generation and push them out into the world, you know. So those are all the same.

Fletch 32:24

Alright, so now what's different that you see there that you haven't seen elsewhere?

SPEAKER_00 32:29

Okay, so I'm gonna start off with a story. There's a boy named Tarag. I work with him through another organization. He has cerebral palsy, he's 17 years old, his mom has cerebral palsy, very poor, and he is completely cognitively aware, very smart, but he's never gone to school. There's literally been no opportunity for him to go to school because every every special ed service in Jordan is costs money. Nothing is free, nothing is provided, and so this family can't afford any of that. So he stays at home and he does nothing every day, all day. I come into his house and and when I see him, I just think to myself, oh my goodness, who would Taduk be if he was born in America, you know? And so the biggest difference that I see here is that in America, at least if I'm comparing America to Jordan, in America we have a system that catches these kids. I'm not saying it's perfect, but there's a system. There's there's there are resources and that is really lacking here. I can find you some great special ed services here in Jordan, but it's all expensive, and that's not the majority. Um I mean, the majority of the population here in Jordan can't afford it. There's let me tell you a couple stories as well. I was sitting with a group of women in a support group for moms with kids with disabilities. There was one mom that started opening up and talking about her child and all the difficulties she was facing. Another mom pipes up and says to the mom, just have your child eat a banana more often, more regularly, and that will solve all your issues.

Fletch 34:16

The banana approach.

SPEAKER_00 34:17

Is that what that's the the banana approach? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you've heard of it, right? So it's so that's one example, just a lack of education. Like people just don't know. They don't know what disabilities are, they don't know, they don't know the background, they don't know what to do for them, they don't have the resources, they don't have the support. Even when I studied in my first two years of uh in Jordan, I studied Arabic full-time, and my Arabic teacher asked me one day if autism was contagious. So, and this was a higher educated woman. So it's just it's just a huge lack of education, a lack of resources, a lack of support, no network, no system to catch them. And that's the biggest difference that I see.

Fletch 35:01

What led you to join the board from so far away?

SPEAKER_00 35:04

I mean, let's just be honest. Pete, he's amazing, and he's his smile, it's contagious, his passion is contagious, and he he has hope for a better future for people and for people to be included. So, how could I say no to that? And here he is, that he comes to my country here in Jordan, and he invests in families that that literally no one is investing in. And so, how could I not be a part of it? Is the better question.

Fletch 35:33

Oh, that's that's great. So, Pete, what's the big dream five years from now? What do you hope this becomes?

SPEAKER_01 35:38

Well, first let me say thank you so much, Aubrey. And so, yeah, the big dream. I would love to bring camps to hundreds of children a year throughout the world. I dream about developing other leaders that could help us grow exponentially. This year, I'm planning to host six camps in four countries. And five years from now, I'd love to have one or two full-time partners helping me host

Big Dream: Scaling Camps Globally

SPEAKER_01 36:01

camps in a dozen countries. You know, and and I'd love to leverage the equipment that we leave with each organization. And one thing that I'm excited about is that in Jordan, the leaders used some of our equipment and activities and then brought their own camp to an area in the South. So our efforts weren't a one and done, they continue to bear fruit. And I'd love for my advisory board to have multiple requests weekly for their consulting services. And would be great to have other chapters all over the world using our model.

Fletch 36:35

So if Lyfts, if our listeners hear this and they hear, you know, this killer story from Jordan and they hear the enthusiasm that both of you have and they want to help, whether that's donate, spread the word, volunteer, what's the best way?

SPEAKER_01 36:50

Sure. A great first step would just be to go to our website and subscribe to our note to our newsletter. You can donate financially there. Or if you're interested in joining me for a trip, I'm also putting together different teams to go different places. So yeah, you can contact me through the website, which is adaptedplaycollective.org.

Fletch 37:13

I'll put a link to it in the show notes so you can just scroll down in the podcast app and click right there. Are there upcoming projects you'd love people to know about?

SPEAKER_01 37:21

Sure, yeah. Going back to Jordan in April from the 7th through the 19th, and we'll be putting on our five-day camp in Mafrak, and then also a one-day camp in the northern part of Jordan, and a two-day camp in the southern part. Then another trip to Tunisia in July. The one I mentioned.

Fletch 37:42

Let's bring up again that somehow I pulled that country out of the space. So, yeah, Tunisia.

SPEAKER_01 37:48

Potential future camps this year, also in Nepal and in the South African country of Estuatini.

Fletch 37:55

Okay. Well, I want to thank you, Aubrey, for joining us on the Mango Times podcast. So thanks for being here and thanks for being a part of this.

SPEAKER_00 38:04

It was so fun. So fun to be part of it. Thank you.

Fletch 38:10

Hey, I just wanted to pop in one more time in the middle of this interview to say thank you for those of you that have been supporting the show by buying me tacos. I've recently mentioned both uh Joe and Eric. Nothing says I love what you're doing more than buying me a few tacos. You can head down in the show notes and you'll find a spot where it says buy flexible. Thank you for the support. Thank you for the encouragement. And now let's get back to meditating. All right, and we're back. Uh that was great having Aubrey on. All right, Pete, this is the part you've been worried about the most. You you mentioned it when you sat down. I it's these uh signature fast five questions. No thinking, you just get to answer what your responses to all these.

SPEAKER_01 38:55

This is my Rorschach test.

Fletch 38:57

Okay, so five questions. Number one, what's a

Fast Five: Rapid Reflections

Fletch 39:00

sound or smell that takes you instantly back to childhood? Chocolate chip cookies. All right. Well, I feel like we could talk about something there, but what's a book, a film, or a teacher that changed the trajectory of your life?

SPEAKER_01 39:14

Oh, I love the book Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zond.

Fletch 39:20

Oh, well, okay. I think we know the other version. Who is it by? Jonathan? Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan Edwards. When I look at that, my reformed mind is dissolving away. What's one thing you wish more adults understood about kids with special needs?

SPEAKER_01 39:36

They're just like any other person, that they deserve dignity and attention. They're often invisible. See them.

Fletch 39:48

What's something you're learning right now that surprises you?

SPEAKER_01 39:53

Technology. I love learning about AI and yeah, just all the possibilities. Yeah, that's fun. That was a great answer.

Fletch 40:05

Last question. When you think about this next chapter in your life, what word or phrase comes to mind? Exciting. All right. You did it. You did the fast five. That wasn't too bad. All right. So if someone's listening to us today and they're standing at the edge of a midlife pivot, they're scared, they're stuck, they're unsure, what's your

Advice For A Midlife Pivot

Fletch 40:26

best encouragement right now?

SPEAKER_01 40:29

Live in crescendo. And it doesn't have to be big. You don't have to start anything. And it might just be entering into those core relationships that you have more intentionally. George Valent, who was the uh original or one one of the researchers in the Harvard men's study, just brought everything together. He said when when asked to summarize the findings, he said, Life is love. Full stop.

Fletch 40:59

That's a killer. I love that. So where can people follow your work? I we've already mentioned the Adapted Play Collective. I'll I'll put up the link to the website. Is that the best way for them to reach you?

Follow The Work And Farewell

SPEAKER_01 41:10

Yes. On social media, we are playability camps.

Fletch 41:15

Okay. So I'll put both that, your social media, and your website up. Hey man, I want to thank you for taking the time out of your morning and for connecting us with Aubrey and for just being willing to sit in the studio with me. You were one of the earliest people I asked, and you were one of the earliest people that said yes. So thanks for being here, Pete.

SPEAKER_01 41:33

Awesome. Thank you for having me, Andy. It's been fun.

Fletch 41:38

Hey, thanks for listening to this episode. You know, if hearing Pete's story stirred something in you, uh maybe a pivot, maybe an adventure, or maybe just a small step forward in that direction. Pay attention to that. And if you're enjoying these conversations, do me a favor, follow along. Leave a review for me on Apple Podcasts. Like the one I received last week that said, Fletch the Man and No Myth from Axoff. They said, What a pleasure listening to you and your guests. Keep up the excellent content. And I love that episode with your dad and Erica. You know, I really love getting reviews like that. It helps more than you think. It lets me know that I'm heading in the right direction. And then lastly, if there is someone or you who you think would be a great fit for this midlife adventure theme, do me a favor and scroll down your show notes and send me a text. Just give me the information and the contact information, and I will do all the legwork to get them on this podcast. And now, as always, whatever the next step on your adventure is today, get out there and quietly make some noise. You've been listening to the Mango Times podcast. For any questions, head on over to themangotimes.com. So you're gonna sound amazing when we're done.

SPEAKER_01 43:06

Yeah, I love that. That's kind of a nice guarantee, isn't it?

unknown 43:10

Yeah.