When my younger sister was creating this painting in a beginner class she was not expecting a masterpiece. Born a "Little Person" she was probably not expecting her life would be exceptional either. Instead, she beat her expectations in both cases. 

   We are blank canvases at birth, equipped with human tools but completely naive. Handed a short body Martha grew tall in spirit, profoundly gentle & beloved by thousands.

   She can teach us the difference between pity & compassion. Pitiers look down on others as "less then" & thus demean themselves. Compassion seeks to understand other's difficulties & honors differences.

   People with illnesses or special needs do not seek pity. We all want understanding & respect. 

  While ministering to the sick in the 13th century St. Francis confessed that he disliked caring for people with leprosy because their disease made him "uncomfortable." He overcame this by discovering a "new gentleness." 

   Jean Vanier is a modern day saint who cares for people with disabilities through his worldwide ministry. What he learned is what all great caregivers recognize: We all have "disabilities," some visible & some not.

   Braiding our disabilities with those of others creates level ground. 

   Pitiers imply they are stronger than the sick & disabled. I was unintentionally guilty of this long ago when, over-worried, I asked Martha how she was doing. "Don't feel badly for me," she said, "I love my life." 

   Indeed she does. Her life is a masterpiece & so, to me, is her painting. I look at the smallest boat sailing into the distance & wonder if it symbolizes her: small but sailing the ocean with the same strength as others & better able to withstand storms than any tall people I know. 

-Erie Chapman

Painting by Martha Chapman

Listen to the PBS "On Being" podcast about Jean Vanier. It may change your life.