I was just walking down Metcalfe Street, on my way

to the main branch of the Ottawa Public Library,

when I saw a woman wearing a shirt that said,

“Grow through what you go through”, illustrated

with some various vegetables, and I really

loved and love that quote, with a thought of

telling her how much I liked it, though we had already

passed each other by.

Then came a thought that it only

tells the what, but not the how. And I then realized

that the only way to get to the how is with support. Unlike

the idea that we are spoon-fed from birth in our Western society

that says that this is something that we must do completely

on our own, that no one is responsible for anyone

but themselves, that tells us the fantasy

(and the lie), of people who

achieve greatness

against all odds.

It does have a wonderful sound to it,

and it makes a gloriously heroic archetype for movies and

the stories of our lives, so I can’t blame anyone too much for believing it.

The only problem with it is that it is almost true, but not quite.

Where it goes wrong is when it speaks of people

achieving greatness against all odds.

But no one can achieve greatness against all odds.

No one can achieve greatness against all manner of adversity

without having at least one thing going their way, without having at

least one advantage, often hidden, which helps tip the

teetering scales of life in their favour.

No one can achieve greatness feeling the whole

world hates them and not having a supportive family

and belonging to a stigmatized, marginalized

group and having every other disadvantage

that one could possibly conceive of.

There has to be at least one person, one role

model, whether it be a parent, a teacher, a preacher,

or someone of at least some standing in society

who doesn’t think they suck, who believes

in them, and who helps shine a light

to light a path through the thorny

brambles and obstacles that

this world often throws our way.

With that then comes the actual possibility

of being able to “Grow through what you go through”.

Amen to that.

— James Andriulaitis is a writer and artist living in Ottawa.

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