Aron Ralston

After hot sunshine through the week, a wet Saturday. I was hoping to take the kids to the swimming pool. Oh well, it looks like board games in the afternoon. While the kids studied in the morning, I drew this portrait of one of my heroes, Aron Ralston. No less a hero for being rather flawed; a rather selfish and arrogant outdoorsman who learned a valuable life lesson of humility and concern for others. James Franco gave a remarkable, Oscar nominated performance as Ralston in one of my favourite movies, 127 Hours. Life is a precious gift, we should do all that we can to hold on to it, savour it and remember that, no matter how fabulous and awe-inspiring the natural world is, the greatest thing of all is your fellow man. That is what I take to be the message of Ralston's story.