Today's Read Contributor Discover how ‘The Mountain of Miracles’ by Cleous “GloWry” Young turns adversity into a roadmap for healing and transformation.
Some climbs are physical. Others are the quiet, daily ascent out of pain that no one else can see. Cleous “GloWry” Young has lived both, and his latest book, “The Mountain of Miracles,” gives that struggle a name, a shape, and a path forward.
From St. Thomas to a Global Mission
Young was born on the island of St. Thomas, Jamaica, where his earliest dream was simple: to become the next Pelé. Life had different plans. Over the course of more than two decades, he traded the soccer field for the pen, the page, the stage, and the podium. Today he is a poet, author, playwright, director, speaker, and social advocate who has become, in his own words, “the Pelé of enriching communities.” While the age-old adage insists that ‘The pen is mightier than the sword,’ Cleous “GloWry” Young can now look back across two decades of impact and confidently declare a new truth: “The pen is mightier than the game…”
His path was never conventional. Young explored writing poetry without rhyme or traditional stanzas, an approach so distinct that his work was featured in a book anthology by Poetry.com. From there he moved into children’s literature, theater, and film, building productions such as “The Bullying Effect,” “The Garbage Can,” and “Being Safe, To2gether!!” Each project carried the same quiet conviction: that powerful storytelling can heal what conventional systems often ignore.
The Heart of the Mountain
“The Mountain of Miracles” is the emotional and creative center of everything Young has built. It is a testament to overcoming parallel life struggles and rising above trauma, a story about the literal and metaphorical climb from adversity to triumph.
The message is direct and deeply human. No matter how steep the climb, healing and transformation are entirely possible. The book speaks to communities, families, individuals, and groups who feel stuck at the base of their own mountains, reminding them that the summit is reachable.
Within its pages lives one of Young’s guiding beliefs: “Learning has no age limit.” That single line captures the heart and spirit of the entire work. Growth does not expire. Transformation does not check your birth certificate. The mountain is open to anyone willing to begin the climb, at any season of life, as it is never too late to start…
A New Kind of Thinking
What sets Young apart in the world of social advocacy is his commitment to challenging conventional thinking. Through The TEB IT Foundation, he developed an original framework called Aviation Thinking.
Inspired by the aviation industry’s disciplined systems and safety record, Young applies its principles to complex social issues such as trauma, depression, and mental health challenges. Rather than simply promoting a “trauma informed” approach, he introduces the concept of “Trauma Re-Defined,” encouraging people to rethink how healing and growth are understood.
“Our environment and the things that make up the environment are holistic learning tools, not just teachers, professors, instructors, or parents,” Young said. This philosophy also drives his concept of Organic Learning, which emphasizes education through lived experience. Young believes some of life’s greatest lessons come from the environments around us, including his own experiences studying the operations and culture of airports.
His work is rooted in Albert Einstein’s observation, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Building on that idea, Young combined Einstein’s philosophy with Napoleon Hill’s emphasis on the power of thought to create Aviation Thinking, replacing the pursuit of material riches with holistic enrichment.
That philosophy shaped The Mountain of Miracles, which Young intentionally designed as a “Rich Port” rather than simply another bestseller. Inspired while completing the manuscript in Puerto Rico, whose name translates to “Rich Port,” he envisioned the book as a place where readers could pause, reflect, and begin a journey toward a more meaningful life.
The impact of that vision is reflected in the experiences of readers who have incorporated the book into family discussions, classrooms, and personal growth. For Young, these stories demonstrate that Aviation Thinking extends beyond theory, providing a practical framework for transforming adversity into lasting enrichment.
Recognition and Reach
Young’s authority on the subject has not gone unnoticed. He has been invited to speak and present across multiple states, including New York, Delaware, Florida, and Georgia, where audiences discover a new meaning of trauma and a wider view of its effects across generations.
His foundation in this work runs deep. Young credits much of his entrepreneurial vision to his training with Medard Gabel of the Big Picture Small World Lab and William “Bill” Drayton of the Ashoka Organization. From those experiences came Project 5B, his ambitious projection to reach, touch, and enrich the lives of 5 billion people globally by the year 2035.
“The Mountain of Miracles” is the literacy-focused heartbeat of that vision. It belongs to a larger brand that includes books, e-books, audiobooks, and songs. Each purchase does more than deliver a story. It funds access to literacy education and supports brighter futures, turning a simple act of reading into a contribution to something far larger than any one reader.
Why It Matters Now
Timing matters. Young describes “The Mountain of Miracles” as an anthem for the appointed time, a book aligned with a restless generation searching for meaning, stability, direction, and a way through hardship. In a world still processing the collective weight of recent years, the message feels less like literature and more like a lifeline.
The TEB-IT Foundation does not offer generic programs. It creates unconventional, culturally rich experiences designed specifically around aviation principles and tied directly to the social issues communities face every day. That specificity is the difference. Where others generalize, Young customizes. Where others repeat, Young reinvents.
This is what makes the book more than a memoir of struggle. It is a working model of neuroplasticity. It shows readers how to convert pain into purpose, how to treat adversity as a runway rather than a dead end, and how to climb even when the summit is hidden by dark clouds.
Begin Your Own Climb
For anyone who has ever stood at the base of their own mountain and wondered whether the top was reachable, “The Mountain of Miracles” was written with that reader in mind. It offers more than encouragement. It offers a method, a mindset, and a community committed to the ascent.
The emotional power of The Mountain of Miracles comes from its refusal to treat struggle as the end of the story. Young knows the climb can be steep. He has lived the pressure of competing dreams, difficult experiences, and the 26-years search for identity. Yet he also knows that a person can change direction without losing purpose. He did not become Pelé on the soccer field. Instead, he became a builder of narratives, enrichment initiatives, and ideas aimed at helping people reach their true destinations.
That is the promise readers encounter in The Mountain of Miracles. It is an invitation to climb with greater awareness. It invites readers to consider what they have survived, what they have learned, and what they still have the power to become. In a noisy cultural moment, the book offers something quieter and more durable: a call to reflection, courage, and collective responsibility.
For readers, educators, community leaders, and families seeking a meaningful resource, The Mountain of Miracles offers more than inspiration. It offers a fresh language for possibility and a new direction. Readers are welcome to explore the book, listen to its message, and consider how Young’s Aviation Thinking can help their own communities prepare for safer departures, wiser journeys, and more purposeful arrivals.
Readers are invited to visit the official Mountain of Miracles website to explore the book, e-book, audiobook, and original songs that bring the story to life. They can also connect with Cleous Glowry Young on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for updates, inspiration, and more of the mission behind the work.
