Anything is possible. We’ve all heard this phrase before, told to us by parents, taught to us in school, preached from the pulpit, woven into fairy-tales, written in our constitution, rooted in our democratic ideology, branded so deep into our collective and unconscious psyches that it has become less a mantra of inspiration — a call to action — and more an unspoken, under-appreciated, and inalienable right.
Think about it. When you were little did your parents tell you what you were going to be when you grew up? No, they asked you what you wanted to be. And you said doctor, or astronaut or princess or flying squirrel. It didn’t matter the answer, the point was that you could be whatever you set your mind to. Anything was possible.
The American Dream is no different. The allure of money, success, white picket fences are all part of that untapped and easily accessible possibility. It’s what drives so many people to seek better lives in America. No matter what your racial, religious, or socio-economic background, you can raise yourself up by the bootstraps and collect the very stars in your patchwork pocket. Why? Because deep down we sincerely believe that anything is possible.
And why shouldn’t it be? With enough hard work, dedication, and persistence anyone can achieve whatever their heart desires. It’s simple really. No trick to it at all.
So why aren’t we all then living the dream? Achieving the improbable? If anything is possible, why not just reach out and pluck it, like a ripe fruit, off the tree? If only it were that easy.
The truth is magic doesn’t just fall from the sky, we have to create it with our eyes, our fingers, our imagination and our motivations. We have to forge it to life with the sheer and unrelenting passion of our will. And we all know the paralyzing truth… that life with all it’s obstacles and variables makes it immensely difficult to stay focused on one goal . How often do I find myself inventing excuses instead of possibilities — I’m not smart enough, or strong enough. Attractive, or brave or talented enough. How often do I forget that core belief that Anything is possible, and wish instead that I was born under a luckier star?
And then comes along pretty, impassioned, 3ft tall and four-fingered piano prodigy Hee-Ah Lee. And I am instantly reminded what it truly means to not just speak, but actually live the mantra “anything is possible”. Here is a girl who was born with most of her possibilities severely limited. With only two fingers on each hand, and no legs… If you were to ask her what she wanted to be when she grows up, how many answers could she realistically give?
And yet… to hear her play the piano is nothing short of transcendent. This is no miracle. This is a girl who started practicing the piano at 7, and never stopped, in spite of impossible odds. This is a girl who believes in herself, who takes joy and happiness out of inspiring other through her music.
“You play with your heart and head–not your fingers,” Hee-ah says. If she can achieve the impossible with only four fingers… why can’t we who are blessed with all ten?
We all have our faults, disabilities, and barriers preventing us from achieving our dreams. But we also all carry an infinite well of potential just waiting to be sourced. Anything is possible. Sometimes we just need a bright-eyed Korean girl to remind us. Sometimes we just need a little inspiration.
-Aaron
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