Have you ever kicked a rock down the road?
Small dusty knobbly thing of no specifc shape or colour.
And when we are done with our mindlessness, discard it to the side of the road never to
give it another thought.
Many times we may feel like that nameless long forgotten rock.
Always there but never seen.
But what if we did see?
Last week I finally decided to take a day off. I packed my sketchbook, my art pencils I've
had since I was twelve years old, and hopped on a bus to the coast.
Alighting two hours later I found myself in a fishing village. A crowded port full of little
fishing boats, strings of beautiful lights and stacks of fishing nets decorating the docks.
The beautiful sea air filling my lungs I wandered through the quiet bustle of seamen off
shift and soon found myself out on the rocks, a rolling expanse of golden sandstone and
rock formations which may be among the uniquest on the planet.
A smoothness, ruggedness, simplicity yet intricate art form, all in one. Each standing tall,
each standing alone, yet together a testament to life coming together and standing the
test of time.
Not a single chisel had hit their bodies, yet each could hold its place next to the world's
finest Leonardo Da Vincis.
Each of us deserve a place next to them.
And that includes you!
We may think that we are an insignificant dull nothing-special-about-us rock.
But think again.
What made each of those rocks so special?
Their true beauty came in their ability to weather the storms of day-to-day life.
It is not the good side of life which makes us beautiful, the expensive makeup, designer
clothes, luxury cars.
It is our ability to stand firm and weather the storms of life, allowing the pain of growth transform us into the most exquisite of rock formation.
Yes. I mean you.
It was the emerging dragon which finally got me onto the ground and pencils in hand.
The dragon who had risen from nothing.
And as the cold drew the colour from my hands and I sketched against the biting wind, I
thought about how we all start from the same place.
Dipping my brush into the tiny puddle of sandstone water I had made I realised we don't
have to let the storms of life hold us back, but rather let them form the beautiful people we become.
And so I raise this picture to a beautiful 2020. No, it won't be perfect, but together we
can succeed.
A majestic 2020.
Where all the dragons rise.
Happy New Year!