Human Ingenuity

I don't know about anyone reading this, but I can sure use a little break from all the negative and depressing news that continually bombards us everyday.  So I went in search of some positive uplifting news.  Its out there, it just may not be on the front page of any newspaper.  Today we will jump to Brazil where an amazing story of human determination and ingenuity can offer inspiration for all of us.  Orismar de Souza, a homeless man in Brazil, decided one day that he needed a car.  Unable to afford one, he began saving money through collecting bottles and cans, going hungry, and pan-handling in order to buy sheet metal, $270 worth, to cut and shape into a car.  He had no mechanical training and his only tools for shaping were a hammer and chisel.  Once the body was done, he scrounged the area for a small motorcycle engine and other parts for his car.  He was able to assemble these as well as adding a small gear box that would allow him to go in reverse.  The final outcome, a car that reach 50mph on the highway.  Using his new car, he was able to find a home and job in the outlying sugarcane fields. 

I am sure that we have all heard the phrase "you can do anything if you set your mind to it", but how many of us truly believe this?  These days there seems to be limitations placed on what we think we can do, partly by those in academics who say that you need an education in order to succeed, the business world that often adheres to this thinking, and ourselves who buy into this and get discouraged far to quickly when presented with a daunting task.   There may be certain limitations preventing us from easily becoming a nuclear engineer or some other highly educated person, but most of the limitations that are out there are in our own minds.  I believe that we too often readily accept what is presented to us as limitations and create a mental block within ourselves that essentially debilitates us and prevents us from doing what we want.  Could all of us build a car out of scraps and sheetmetal?   I believe that we could even though some would find it more challenging than others.  The capability is there for us to do anything we set our minds to, all we need is the drive to make it work and the determination to struggle through any issues that arise before us. 

Sometimes, it seems, is that all we need to really achieve something is a lack of limitations.  This man in Brazil, who at times was laughed at for his endeavors, had nothing to lose.  He was already homeless, he had no real means of transportation, and he had the time to devote to building his car.   If this man can build a car with no mechanical training, we can surely achieve whatever we set our minds to.  Granted, there will still be skeptics out there who say that this is a one in a million occurence, but that is only because other 999,999 people didn't have the gall to dream big and take a chance.  All we need to do is step out of our comfort zone, take those risks, and set our mind to achieving what we want.  For today, lets celebrate the human spirit, drive, and ingenuity.  Without these basic tenets of who we are, our world would not be as technologically advanced as it is today.   Our society thrives on those few who step out of their comfort zones and take the risks to advance their ideas and strive to make them work.  Imagine what we could achieve if more of us stepped out on that shaky limb of the unknown and took a risk not knowing what the outcome would be.  Take a risk today, small or large, and see where it leads you.  It may not be easy, but the reward and satisfaction at the end will more than make up for any unease you may feel along the way.