Painting hope!

“Every person you meet in the world has something to teach you.” Underestimating the power and wisdom that each human being has to offer is foolish, and selfish. Individual experiences cannot be replicated, as these are as unique as our DNA. Therefore, we should always welcome the opportunity to proliferate our wisdom by embracing the power of listening.

It was a Saturday afternoon, and after spending the day painting my living room, I decided my hands needed a little TLC, so I picked up a cup of coffee and headed to the nail salon hoping that they would take a walk-in, and they did! Flor welcomed me with a smile, as I apologized for having the most unappealing hands.?She asked if I painted, and I said yes! Unaware that she had actually understood that I was a professional house painter. She smiled and asked me if I was from around the area. A few minutes in her station and suddenly, I found myself captivated by the uplifting and resilient story of a woman whom against all odds made it, and painted hope in my life with each stroke of that Essie red Bordeaux.

At only 12 years of age, Flor was taken in marriage by a much older man back in her native country (Mexico). The absence of parents and family in her life led her to think that this was the only opportunity she had at love and survival. Her first child arrived when she was only 13 years old, and soon four more joined the pack. However, her dreams of a happy and long-lasting family were shattered when her husband left.

Fear can be a great motivator! The thought of her children facing the hardships of her life, gave Flor the courage to do the unimaginable; she left her country and her children to seek an opportunity that would break the vicious cycle her family line had endured. The journey for survival inspired Flor to never give up, and to always be grateful for what life has to offer. Upon her U.S. arrival, Flor realized that nothing was going to be easy, but for the first time in her life, she felt that the life she dreamed of, was possible.

Nothing worth having comes easy, we either quit or we conquer. Flor was determined to conquer, regardless of the obstacles that she encountered. Flor prayed incessantly, day and night. She prayed for her children, she prayed for work, and she asked God to give her the strength that she needed to keep going. But Flor didn’t only pray! She worked extremely hard to finally catch the break that she so desperately needed.

Struggles aren’t fun, but very often, if we stay the course of the pursuit of our happiness, these paths of maladies and hardships can lead us to places we’ve never thought we would see. But, it isn’t enough to dream or hope for things. We must be resilient, work hard and most importantly, we must be strong and understand that our current circumstances don’t define our future. Flor never gave up because she knew that for every door that closed, a new one was bound to open. Flor eventually landed a job as a nail technician at one of the most prestigious towns in Northern New Jersey.

18 years have passed since Flor began painting her life path, and today her face glows when she speaks about how thankful she is to have been given this opportunity. This job changed her life, and freed her from the chains of the past that kept her hostage and away from her loved ones. Working at the nail salon allowed Flor to buy a house, obtain her U.S. residency, and she was finally able to reunite with all her children. Flor’s gratitude was so captivating; one would think that after all her hardships, she would be bitter, but she isn’t. In fact, her kindness painted a canvas of hope for me. And, as I was getting ready to leave, she told me to give her my business cards because she wanted to help me get painting jobs with her high-end clients. I was so taken by her kindness that I couldn’t explain that I was not a painter. But, I came back later and became a loyal client.

This journey called life is not meant to be easy; we can expect our faith to be tested in multiple ways.?However, we must remain faithful to our convictions and dreams. We must remember that there is not substitute for resiliency, hard work and gratefulness. Most importantly, we must understand that climbing to the top requires starting at the bottom, and if we do this, we too can break the chains that keep us hostage. And no, we don’t have to be famous or millionaires to consider ourselves successful. Happiness is the highest form of success, so go on and paint your path.