Here’s a dose of today’s inspiration and a lesson that one should never say never on the face of adversity. This is the story of a British man Andrew, who suffered from crippling depression, lost his health, and job due to a hostile reaction of the anti-depressants.
At the crossroad of life where many people take the wrong turn and make their life even worse, Andrew kept marching on to find the solution. Instead of suffering from extreme anxiety and depression, he started making paper art that is truly mesmerizing to watch.
He narrates his story like this,
“About two years ago I was a successful middle manager at a multinational corporation when one day I was hit by a long and deep bout of depression.”
“Seeking help, I was prescribed anti-depressants. Unfortunately, I had a very bad reaction to the medication and ended up taking several months off to recover from the memory and fine motor-skill issues I was left with. I took up papercutting as a hobby to support my recovery and keep me occupied.”
Though he recovered to some extent, but he couldn’t go back to his job. Thus, he had to stick with the paper cutting hobby. But the hobby soon turned into something more, as he narrates,
“Over the months that followed, I could see gradual ongoing improvements to my health and paper cutting skills. Christmas came and I gave a few simple street maps that I had cut from paper to close family and friends, receiving a very warm response in return.”
“It was suggested that I might be able to sell them – a backup plan or ‘Plan B’ if my recovery and return to work didn’t go as planned.”
Despite shaky hands and ill life, he still enjoys and earns his living by cutting paper maps from thousands of paper sheets in a little studio on his boat.
“I make a living creating art. I spend my days making papercut street maps and watching the ducks float past my window.”
Seems like ‘Plan B’ worked out fine after all!
