Priceless Friendship
I have to give a shout out to my good friend , John Guerra! If you are ever looking for an airbrush artist with a HUGE heart, John is your man. This blog's image is just one example of his artistry. Let me share the story of how it came about.
When I found out that John (one of the silversmithing students with whom I've had the privilege of working), was an airbrush artist, I asked him if he would look at my equipment as it hadn't been used in years. Of course, he not only looked at it but actually cleaned and fixed it up for me. Now I have to actually use it. 😏 I digress - let's get back to the story.
The reason I had asked John for help with my airbrush tools is that I thought it might be neat for me to make some signs and displays for my fair booth. Then, it occurred to me that I could never produce the kind of beautiful work John does. The natural next step, therefore, was for me to contract John's services instead. The picture you see here are the result of his efforts.
Of course, the magnificent work of art was not something that came out of a contract or formal agreement. I had casually mentioned to John that I planned on asking him to do some of this kind of work for me and, before I knew it, he sent me a text of the piece! The payment is still an unsettled thing since his response to my query was $00.00 and I don't believe in taking advantage of people, especially friends.
The reason I share this story is to illustrate the real contribution potentially made by others as we work on our dreams. Not a day goes by when I do not see examples of the importance of friendships and collaborations. Whether it is at the Arlington Gem and Mineral Club or at Dallas Makerspace, there is abundant evidence of the goodness of the human spirit and the collaborative goodness that is possible. Granted, not everyone is blessed to be surrounded by such people and not everyone with whom one is surrounded is such a person. However, I choose to focus on those by whom I am surrounded. In the coming weeks, I will be giving back to these people in my life by posting links to their websites and other resources as well as spotlighting their work so that others can benefit from knowing them also.
If there is anything I can tell up-and-coming entrepreneurs. It is that ignoring or not respecting the contributions that others make to your success is perhaps one of the most foolish thing one can do. At the same time, not being willing to step up and help others is as foolish.
In the words of Les Brown, " Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours." Thank you, John (and all the countless others), for helping me fulfill my dreams.
Until next time, stay sane, stay reasonable, help others, and keep dreaming!
