Five-year-old Willard Wigan struggled to tell the difference between an M and a W or a 6 and a 9. Unfortunately, his schoolteacher knew nothing about dyslexia(阅读障碍症), a learning disability that can make letters and numbers confusing. She didn't try to help him. Not surprisingly, Willard didn't like school. Usually, his mind drifted—to playing outside, to his dog Maxie, or to the ants that lived near his family's garden shed. Willard was especially curious about those ants. He felt like them—small and insignificant. Thus, when he noticed some ants trying to build a house, he decided to help them! Willard constructed a little building. Then he sprinkled sugar inside to encourage the ants to move in. When they did, Willard built more houses.
At school, Willard still struggled, but now he knew he could do something special. Maybe he wasn't a failure after all. If he had trouble with his reading or math, Willard would later go home and created tiny furniture for the ant houses. He even built an ant school, with teeny swings, ladders, seesaws, and a merry-go-round. His artistic skill increased, and a love for little things began to grow in his heart.
At age nine, Willard began carving faces on toothpicks. He discovered that his ability improved when he held his breath as he worked. When he quit school at age 15 to help support his family, Willard still spent his spare time carving. His confidence grew as more people appreciated his talent. Eventually, he quit his factory job to pursue his dream of becoming one of the best artists in the world. Now, years later, Willard carves the tiniest artwork in the world! His sculptures are so small that several can fit on a period at the end of a sentence.
Because of their beauty and rarity, his sculptures have made Willard a wealthy man. But he says, "Success isn't about material things like an expensive watch or a costly ring; it's about persevering and achieving your dreams."
Willard Wigan, micro-sculptor, has done just that. The man who felt small as a boy has shown the world that something small can really be BIG.
