Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight.

Life has a way of knocking us down from time to time.

It happens. Get used to it.

Thing is, it’s not how many times we get knocked down.

It’s how many times we stand up.

Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight. ✊🏼

This oil portrait of my son originated over 10 years ago and developed, mostly in my head, before I started drawing and painting in 2018.

His childhood friend, Kenzo, introduced him to the Japanese proverb, "Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight." Years later, after living through some extremely difficult events, I asked my son if he still remembered the proverbial saying. He replied, "It is the mantra for my life."

I believe that we can bear more than we think we can. My experience is that it does not matter how many times we get knocked down. It matters that we stand up again.

Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight. ✊🏼

1080 x 1080 (Higher Res Still Image Available)