Joe Monks: Blind Film Director Who Aspires to Inspire
Joe_monks_author_filmmaker
Meet Joe Monks.
A blind film director.
Read it again: A blind film director.
Are you trying to figure out how that works?
Joe lost his eyesight in 2002 as the result of his long-time battle with diabetes, but he didn’t let that hold him back, as he wrote and directed The Bunker.
He recently received the Achievement in Cinema award at the 2011 Gasparilla International Film Festival.
Joe didn’t know he was going to have to give a speech at Gasparilla until about 10 minutes before he went on stage.
His impromptu speech was beyond “touching” as he challenged every participant present with his powerful oration.
He began by sharing with the audience the old cliché of “when one door closes…” but he put a brand new spin on it.
He suggested that we not look for another open door when the door closes, but rather, we need to remind ourselves that just because a door is closed, it doesn’t mean it’s locked.
So it’s our job to pick the lock, take off the hinges or break the damn door down (that’s what Joe said!)
Joe went on to use another cliché about dropping the infamous pebble into a pond and how the pebble creates ripples.
But he added his ever so pithy Joeism to it: Because of the award he won the pebble (his movie, The Bunker) is now a bigger pebble and his hopes are that one of the now bigger ripples will get someone’s attention and they’ll say “Joe Monks won an award?!! He sucks!!” (Again, Joe’s words here!)
And for those people, Joe simply says, “Come get some…the door is open.”
Joe Monks is quite an inspirational story, to say the least.
And he’s a guy who could very easily have fallen into depression because of what he “lost” or even gotten into some addictive behavior as a way to cope.
But instead, he has gone forward and done what no one has ever done before.
No one!
And his wife stands by his side.
Segue…
This month’s empowerment topic is: The “Other” A.D.D.: Addiction, Depression and Divorce…What to Know, What to Do and How to Make it All Stick
If you or your loved ones have been challenged by addiction, depression or divorce, keep your eyes and ears open as you’ll be receiving some useful information.
(Click here for a resource for you right now.)
And Marry YourSelf First!