I have a painting that hangs as the focal point of my dining room. The title “Max and Theo,” is a picture of a happy elephant with a parrot resting on his truck. With vibrant colors, the painting speaks of the joy of unlikely friendship.
Hidden below the symphony of colors is a greater testament. You can hear the shouts of triumph through the artist’s signature. Two o’s, each with a x marked over them. The painter, John Bramblitt is completely blind.
Yet he paints. Beautifully.
I bought this piece to inspire my son. Too often the weight of schoolwork places a burden of “I can’t” upon his shoulders.
I hung it on the wall as soon as it arrived.
As our school day circled to math, I heard the infamous words, “I can’t,” spill from his mouth.
I pointed to the new painting on the wall. “If a blind man can paint like that, then there is nothing that you can’t do.”
He gave a heavy sigh and opened his book. It wasn’t long before I heard, “Mom, I think I can do this…I can do this.
Mom! I can do this!“
As he finished his work he pushed the book towards me.
He had done all of the problems correctly.
“Good job, buddy. You did it!” I said as I ruffled his hair.
With a quick flip of his wrist his pencil was in the air. Before it hit the ground, he was up; running a victory lap through the house and shouting, “Woo Hoo! I did it!”
As he began to regained composer, he sat down and shook his head in disbelief. There was a smile that would outshine the moon across his face, “Mom, I actually did it.”
“I knew you would.” I told him.
My son was inspired to face his challenge, because one man chose to overcome his.
If I’m honest, it is easy to quit when things get hard. When the fear of failure looms like a daunting storm inevitable to escape.
I have learned it takes far more strength to be willing to try and fail then to never begin.
In his interview with 3playmedia.com, Faces Behind the Screen John offers this advice, “My piece of advice would be to fail. Fail a lot, and don’t be afraid of failing. If you’re not failing in your life, you may not be trying enough new things. Give yourself the freedom and the license to fail.”
Friend, I challenge you today to risk failing and don’t stop.
The measure of a man is in how many times he stands up. Not in how many times he has fallen down.
Failure is the foundation for greatness.
F – first
A –attempt
I – in
L –learning
You can do this.
You were created to do hard things.
As I close today, I want to encourage you to take some time and check out the work of this American painter. His website is http://bramblitt.com. Also consider grabbing a copy of his memoir, Shouting in the Dark: My Journey Back to The Light, co-written with Lindsey Tate.
Now it is your turn. Choose to do the hard thing.
Go – be inspired!
Go – take a chance!
and then
Go – inspire!
*Image of the painting was used with permission by the artist.
Hiking in Pearls 