Morning Light

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Sometimes the most meaningful lessons don’t happen inside the bike shop.

They happen just a few blocks away.

Only minutes from ZummoBike, our friend Matina has spent the last 9
months transforming an ordinary brick wall into something that has become one of Berwyn’s most remarkable public works of art.

We’ve been fortunate to follow her journey almost from the beginning.

Nearly a year ago, several of our young mechanics—including Avery,
Jireth, and other members of our team—visited Matina while she was just
getting started. They listened, asked questions, and watched an artist begin turning an idea into something that would become part of the
community for years to come.

This week, we stopped by again to see how the project was coming
together.

What struck us wasn’t simply the incredible craftsmanship.

It was listening to Matina explain why she made the choices she did.

She isn’t just painting a mural.

She’s painting morning.

More Than Paint

Matina explained that the mural begins in the deep blues and violets of night before gradually moving into dawn and finally the warm glow of early morning sunlight.

Morning, she said, represents opportunity.

Growth.

Hope.

A new beginning.

One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation centered on something many people might never notice.

Instead of covering the entire wall with heavy paint, Matina intentionally left much of the original brick visible.

“I wanted the history of the wall to remain,” she explained.

The brick still shows through delicate layers of color and glaze.

History wasn’t hidden.

It became part of the artwork.

What a wonderful lesson.

The strongest communities don’t erase where they’ve been.

They build upon it.

Painting Light

Another thought stayed with me long after our conversation ended.

Matina told me she isn’t really painting people.

She’s painting light.

Morning sunlight reflecting off water.

Glass catching the day’s first rays.

Mirrors sparkling as people walk or ride bicycles through town.

The people in the mural aren’t meant to be the center of attention.

They’re simply reminders that life is happening.

That the town is alive.

That every day brings another opportunity to begin again.

Every Piece Matters

Walk slowly along the mural and something new appears every few feet.

Pieces of broken pottery.

Mirrors.

Glass.

Flowers.

Birds.

Architectural details.

A train quietly passing through the background as a reminder of Berwyn’s
history.

Nothing is there by accident.

Every piece contributes to something larger.

Communities are built the very same way.

One person.

One act of kindness.

One contribution at a time.

Why We Bring Young People Here

This wasn’t simply another visit to admire beautiful artwork.

It was another opportunity for our bike mechanics to learn from someone who
has devoted months of careful effort to creating something that will inspire others for years to come.

The same lessons apply whether you’re restoring bicycles, creating art,
starting a business, or serving your community.

Meaningful work takes patience.

It takes imagination.

It takes persistence.

Excellence rarely appears all at once.

It is built one thoughtful piece at a time.

The Conversation Continues

As our visit came to an end, another idea began to emerge.

Instead of simply admiring the finished mural, why not invite the artist
to continue the conversation?

When the mural is complete, we’re hoping to invite Matina to spend an evening with the ZummoBike community.

Rather than giving a formal presentation, we’d like our young people to lead the evening.

The same students, Avery, Jireth and others who first visited her nearly a year ago could welcome guests, introduce Matina, ask thoughtful questions, and guide a
conversation about creativity, perseverance, community, and what it
takes to bring an idea to life.

If enough people are interested, we’ll find a space large enough to welcome everyone—perhaps somewhere here in Berwyn where neighbors, parents, students, artists, and friends can gather together.

It won’t simply be an evening about art.

It will be an evening about curiosity.

About listening.

About asking good questions.

About learning from someone who chose to leave a community better than
she found it.

For our young people, it will also become another opportunity to practice public speaking, thoughtful interviewing, leadership, and
community engagement—the very skills that help them succeed wherever
life takes them.

The mural may soon be finished.

The conversations it inspires are only beginning.

We would like to thank Stacey Ballard and her team at Eadeh for all the work / thinking they invested to bring life to this intersection. It’s pretty special!