Alberto,
I also had a great time at the sprint, and It was my pleasure to meet you and everybody else.
I'm not the most social person and I tend to withdraw into my comfort zone.
While I am close to my family and I have a few close friends, I think it's quite rare for me to
meet people who not only share my passion for things like art and programming,
but who are also welcoming and inherently kind--a value that stands above all others.
I consider myself very lucky to have been invited to the sprints, to have had opportunity to learn from others,
to see and explore a country that I didn't really know, and to have met so many good and interesting people from all over the world.
I'm sorry to hear about your struggle with depression.
I've also had points when I was consumed by intense feelings of depression,
hopelessness, and a general lack of self-worth.
I've struggled and failed through many dreams, taken the road less traveled and fallen flat on my face,
without a real career or solid plan and wound up feeling very behind my perception of others.
It's an ongoing battle, but despite my many setbacks and failures, I love life.
I'm really glad to hear that working on Krita has brought purpose and meaning back into your life,
and I hope that you never find yourself without those things again.
My involvement with Krita and my first sprint also came at an important moment in my life,
and they also helped me to realize that, despite having taught myself how to code, I can do it.
Not only was that good for my confidence, it is also very validating and rewarding to have your work
be included in a project that many people use and love, and that enables people to create cool things,
with minimal socioeconomic barriers.
At any rate, I'm sure the circumstances of our lives are very different, but I think I can relate.
I consider you all among my friends and I feel very lucky and grateful to be involved in this crazy thing called Krita.
- Emmet
PS: Plan a trip to visit your sister in Seattle and Eoin and I will drive up there to hang out. =]
Hello everyone.
I just want to thank you each and all of you for the awesome time we had
at the Krita Sprint, for your kindness and friendship.
I am grateful for all the amazing things you had made possible for me to
live. You have radically changed my life. A few months ago I was
struggling with depression and I had a suicide attempt. It was a dark
time for me and my family. And after living all the GSoC and Krita
Sprint experience I feel motivated and have a feeling of purpose.
I have a reason to wake up in the morning.
You all had been kind and supportive, when I struggle with my lack of
coding skills you all had told me to keep working and improving.
When I felt lonely, there has always been somebody in #krita
or ##krita-chat to talk to. During the sprint it was a wonderful
to meet friends for the first time in years, and watch you all being
awesome at coding or painting!! But instead of making me feel
insignificant, you all motivated to not give up and keep working until
one day I get to be at the great level you all are.
My family is really thankful too, some of you might remember that
it was my sister who booked my flight, she wanted to make sure that
I actually went to the Sprint, instead of getting depressed and
staying home, which, saddly, would probably had happened. They all
say I look different since I came back, and I can see my family
happy and healing from all that happened a few months ago.
Thank you all for everything.
Sincerely,
Alberto.