Be the Competition ! Be Unique!

You are unique. Don’t worry about the competition. YOU ARE THE COMPETITION! — Annelise Lords

Inspired a few moments ago by

There’s no need to worry about being entirely original. Be genuine and authentic in your unique voice; that’s more than enough. — Rui Alves

“I don’t think you should enter this competition?” Simon Ladd tried to convince his eighteen-year-old daughter Keri. “These kids are from rich families where nothing is denied from them.”

“So what?” Keri said. “It’s open to everyone.”

Pulling her hand down as he sat on the sofa, she plopped down beside him. Simon tried to persuade his only child not to test life, fate or destiny. His heart couldn’t take it if she lost.

“Honey,” he attempts again, “their wealth is their advantage.”

“And poverty is mine,” eighteen-year-old Keri states.

“Their parents paid for their extra classes, and they are exposed to the best art works, artists, and teachers from all over the world,” he went on.

“And I am self-taught,” she sends back to her father staring into his eyes. “Not by humans, but life and living.”

He blinked, to hide the pain, and continued to try to discourage her from entering into an art competition, hoping to win a scholarship to the prestigious Biggins Art Academy he couldn’t afford to send her.

“Some of them have been drawing and practicing their craft from they were kids,” he kept trying.

“And we have been living our art thanks to poverty,” she said. “So, we have been at it longer than they have. Plus, because of poverty we live with creative and innovative habits daily.”

Simon’s eyes popped and she went on.

“Dad, poverty forces us to use our imagination in amazing innovative ways with our money and meals. Many days we have almost nothing to eat, and we use creativity and innovation to use what we have to make something unusual and different Daddy,” she reminds him.

Simon squeezed her left and as his brain sent him back to the many unique dishes, poverty and hunger forced them to create with what they could afford on days when he couldn’t find work and food ran out.

“I am unique. My life is distinctive compared to theirs. I am not worried about the competition daddy. I am the competition. Because my life is different compared to theirs. My art is the same too because it comes from a place where creativity was born. Where real life exists and is. It comes from many worlds Dad. Not only an art world.”

“I just can’t bare it if you lost,” he explained.

“Dad,” she caressed his hand, “If I don’t get in, it’s ok. That’s life. That’s my world where failure exist beside success. I am going in with strength and uniqueness. Get in or not, I already won. Plus, when you are unique, you don’t worry about the competition. . . . . . .”

“Because you are the competition!” Simon finished her sentence hugging her.

Three months later Keri didn’t win the competition! But all her ten works of art were sold off immediately. She was commissioned to paint more than thirty more subjects.

“Why?” Simon asked after she was rejected.

“Artwork as unique and good as hers, going to these art academies will destroy her ability, talent, imagination, style, gift and more. Your daughter is a gifted artist. Nothing more can and should be added to her talent. Plus, I refuse to be held accountable for destroying her talent. She doesn’t need us. We need her!”

“That was thirty years ago,” Keri Patrick-Ladd, said to the audience of future artists at Hastings Art Academy. “Don’t limit your artistic mind or ability. The best art doesn’t come from one world. It comes from love and hate. Cruelty and kindness. And many other worlds where only a unique heart knows the route. It comes from a place where balance is given its due. So don’t you dare be afraid to be different. Be unique. . ..”

“Because being unique you don’t have to worry about the competition. Because I am the competition!” The audience finished her sentence.

Then cheered as tears stole down and Keri swore, she saw her father clapping and cheering in the audience.

WHEN YOU ARE UNIQUE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE COMPETITION. YOU ARE THE COMPETITION!

For 2024, BE UNIQUE. BE THE COMPETITION!

Merry Christmas Everyone.

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