Behind “Help”

“Asking for help is not giving up. Asking for help is refusing to give up.”

— The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

The subjects of my art tend to revolve around health, fitness, movement and mindfulness. For me, these things take up the most neurological real estate, so that’s what my pictures tends to explore.

Though lately — quite subconsciously in fact — and more than ever, I find myself drawn to subjects of hope, faith and help. It’s no secret that the last few years have been extremely difficult and while I continue to carve out an art career for myself, I am thrilled to find great comfort in the openness and willingness of my peers to share information, to be sounding boards and to offer their opinions.

Proud as I am, asking for emotional support from my friends and family has been hard for me at times. I tend to fall back on not wanting to burden anyone with my problems. Of course, if a friend of mine was in need I would not want him/her to hold back for fear of burdening me with anything.

We are human beings! We need each other.

And when I read the following quote from Marcus Aurelius, a man who was quite literally the most powerful man in the world at the time, I realize asking for help ain’t too bad:

Don’t be ashamed of needing help. You have a duty to fulfill just like a soldier on the wall of battle. So what if you are injured and can’t climb up without another soldier’s help?”

Duh!?! If it’s good enough for Marcus Aurelius, it’s gotta be good enough for you and me. In fact, I have found great insight on what it means to be a human being through the collected works of the Stoics. If you’re looking for a place to start, there ya go.

Do you find it hard to ask for help sometimes? Tell me in the comments!