79. HELEN KELLER: When one door closes
September 11th, 2012
Yay, another Helen Keller quote. Here’s the first one I did. The fact that Keller became a famous optimist, despite being blind and deaf is something I still struggle to comprehend. If there was a Mt. Rushmore of most inspirational people in history, Keller would definitely be up there. Back in my old life I worked in the newspaper industry where I witnessed many friends forced to leave their jobs and take a redundancy. Some of them coped well, but a lot of them struggled with the news. This one’s for them.
- Helen Keller’s autobiography, The Story of my Life, can be downloaded for free at Project Gutenberg.
ABOUT THIS SITE:
Zen Pencils adapts inspirational quotes into cartoons. It's illustrated by Gavin Aung Than and there's a new toon every Tuesday. More info
MOST POPULAR COMICS
- 50. NEIL GAIMAN: Make good art
- 100. CARL SAGAN: Pale blue dot
- 98. ALAN WATTS: What if money was no object?
- 90: IRA GLASS: Advice for beginners
- 116. CAITLIN MORAN: We’re all dying
- 52. PHIL PLAIT: Welcome to science
- 104. MALALA YOUSAFZAI: I have the right
- 94. The Two Wolves
- 92. CHRIS GUILLEBEAU: 11 ways to be average
- 108. SOPHIE SCHOLL: The fire within
- 42. NEIL deGRASSE TYSON: The most astounding fact
- 60. ROBERT FROST: The road not taken
- 97. CHARLES BUKOWSKI: Air and light and time and space
- 17. FRANK HERBERT: Litany against fear
- 89. STEPHEN FRY: Ultimate self-help book
Best of the rest
- 106. CHRIS HADFIELD: An astronaut's advice
- 12. CARL SAGAN: Make the most of this life
- 33. EDGAR MITCHELL: A global consciousness
- 36. BRUCE LEE: There are no limits
- 56. HENRY ROLLINS: Who's the crazier man?
- 65. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON: Our deepest fear
- 73. MARK TWAIN: An educational journey
- 8. THEODORE ROOSEVELT: The man in the arena
- 83. HOWARD THURMAN: Ask yourself
- 91. BILL HICKS: It's just a ride
HOSTED BY:
Frist Comment XD… We have to see always open doors and explore them!
Great reminder!
freedom is not easy…but is is open and fulfilling.
One door closes, another opens. Great work Gav.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you with all of my heart for your inspirational work.
As a former fine art major, who many years ago decided the only artists who make any real money are dead ones, I made the decision to change paths and moved on to the land of technology and now find myself about sixteen years into the computer industry. In addition, as I have grown older and wiser, I have also begun the path as a Buddhist for now about seven years. Beyond all that, just this past month, I was encouraged to return to school I never finished towards advancing my career and helping my family to prosper in challenging times.
Your comics, including this one, have all been inspirational and a wonderful addition to my daily news reading habit.
Although I rarely pick up the pen & ink, paint brush, or sit before a wad of clay anymore, I now concentrate my creative efforts into inspiring and sparking the minds of my two young children. Without regrets, I cherish every opportunity to draw, paint and sculpt with, and for them.
All lengthy back-story aside, I want you to know what a fantastic and wonderful job you are doing at capturing the words of so many people that have done so much to make an effort towards keeping this planet a beautiful place.
Again, a sincere thank you.
-cw
Thanks a lot cw, your kids are very lucky.
I think that perhaps the reason Keller was such an optimist was because of her experiences. She was essentially a mind in isolation, and yet eventually after what must have been much frustration, anger and sadness she learned how to communicate, despite the impediments in her way. I can totally see how that would lead one to have an optimistic outlook.
Never forget. Right now I’m unemployed and this quote was just what I need. Thank you, really really thank you
Your welcome mate, best of luck!
My uncontrollable OCD is urging me to say this: in the 5th picture, “enrolment” is spelled wrong. 2 Ls
wait… nvm disregard my last post
Hi,
This is the most inspirational website. I love the way you portray, simple, common sense situations in your drawings. It makes me stop and look at my surroundings again.
The Hellen Keller quote goes something like this. Did you modify it for the comic?
“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”
Thanks Farhan, yes I did modify it.
Hey Gav,
Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your awesome talent and skill with the world. Your comics always elicit an emotional response from myself and often make me rethink my life.
Thanks Again
From some guy in brisbane
Thanks again Gav, for another wonderful interpretation. Most of us start off our lives with some career path in mind, and, it rarely works the way we’d want it to be. In true Darwinian style, the one who ends up happy is the one that can adapt the best to the changing situations!
Hellen Keller is a truly inspiring person. I love this quote by her as well – “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”
And this one too !
“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” – Hellen Keller
This quote is misattributed to a lot of sources (most of them religious leaders, not surprisingly), so good on ya.
Helen Keller was an optimist, because she chose to be. Her major disabilities made that decision very easy, but in the end, it was her choice to keep living and explore what was there, rather than what was not… and will be forever remembered for her achievements and inimitable contributions to not only the blind and deaf, but all of us. (‘- ‘ )
What a great quote and a great cartoon you have made from it. I totally advocate volunteering no matter what your circumstance because it can really open doors as well as make huge differences to other people, animals and the environment. Travel and lifelong learning are two other great experiences we should all continue to do.
Thanks for this one! Totally inspirational; I’ll be sure to remember it. Reminds me of Katy Perry: ‘Maybe the reason why all the doors were closed so you could open one that leads into the perfect road’
thats really a good message
Great job once again Gav. I’m sure I will be tracking it all over G+ haha
Thanks Bearman, you’re my G+ guardian angel
Hey Gav,
Great one man!
It is funny how I got so used to receive your art (and visit the page) every couple of days. Same as a lot of people I have also found a great deal of inspiration not only on the quotes and in the wonderful drawings you produce, but also (and surprisingly) in my own life history… every time I read one of your e-mails.
Somehow they bring me back some good (and bad) moments I lived and remind me all the important steps I took to get to the peace of mind I am living now.
I recently bought one of your posters (57 Edmund Hillary) and have to say that the quality was impeccable!!! Thank you very much!!
All the best,
marcelo
Great to hear Marcelo, thanks for the support
Thank you for making this, I recently had a very big door of mine close, and this helps me cope with it.
On a lighter note, there is a Winnie the pooh quote I know that you might like to use sometime. “If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day So I will never have to live a without you.”
Dear Lord man, you’re a genius with a pencil (or mouse/CAD pen thingie, I suppose). I’m a teenager and whenever I feel down, I always come to your website. This is just one of the thousands of masterpieces on this site. Amazing work!
I strongly prefer Dr. Sheldon Cooper’s words: “No it doesn’t. Not unless the two doors are connected by relays or there are motion sensors involved. Or if the first door closing creates a change of air pressure that acts upon the second door.” But I fully agree with the “it is not the end of the world” idea.
I see what you did there Gav
A subject you can relate with buddy
I know with some quotes, copyright prevents you from creating a poster. Is this such a quote? If not, I would love to buy a poster of this. An inspirational quote and a very illustrative tale.
I’ll make the poster available soon Mike.
Gav, I really like your work. I truly do find the passages you use and art you add to be inspiring. But, as a finance graduate student, I don’t like how you *always* demonize business. I know you had a bad experience at your job. I have also had horrible bosses and horrible jobs, but I’ve also had wonderful bosses with whom I had true mutual respect. Layoffs, etc are an unfortunate part of business, but the purpose of a company is to maximize shareholder wealth, not employee utility (well-being). Plus, without businesses we would not be living in the amazing world in which we live. Just as this illustration shows, you must take advantage of life’s opportunities. You can’t just hope your boss or your company will do it for you. You have to do, like you did Gav, and make it happen. Keep up the good work.
I liked this opinion very much. Thank you for sharing.
Unforetunately, I don’t share your optimism. Once you’re down, you’re bound to stay down. Even if you get up, the fact remains that you got put down. That doesn’t look good in the books.
To me, a single loss is worse and a hundred wins. Have you no idea how hard it is to get a fuckin’ job these days?
Unfortunately, I don’t share your optimism. Once you’re down, you’re bound to stay down. Even if you get up, the fact remains that you got put down. That doesn’t look good in the books.
To me, a single loss is worse and a hundred wins. Have you no idea how hard it is to get a fuckin’ job these days?
You’re not alone in seeing that way at all. It would be nice to be able to do those things after being fired, but unless you want dig yourself into a deeper hole it just isn’t realistic for many people.
It would be nice to be able to just go on vacation or take classes after you’ve been fired, but most people don’t have the kind of money for that. Volunteering is nice too, but all the while your home is not being paid for and time is slipping away to find another job. I like the optimism, but the doors one should be entering in this example are other places of employment, as quickly as possible before your family has nowhere to live. That would be a productive message, though not an inspirational one admittedly. Love your work, but this one hit as fantasy for someone who has been in that situation before (sans “redundancy pay”). I WISH I had the money to go through those doors.
you spelled enrollment wrong
Powerful.
Thanks so much for the cartoon. It was just what I needed in this moment!
people call you inspiring, witty, smart, even philosophical and its all true however when i read your comics the word brave comes to mind. you say the things people think and know yet fear the outcome of saying it. on the outside looking in you are just a witty fellow who can draw yet the more i take in from your comics i feel inspired to take the level of individualism you share with us and share it with the world which i have learned can be terrifying but if its one thing all your comics have taught me id rather walk in the dark than sit in the light, thank you so much Gav
Thanks, you’re too kind Logan