What Is Your Watts Tower?
"You gotta do somethin' they never got 'em in the world."
What is your vision?
Simon Rodia had a vision. Not many people really understood it, but in the mid of his life, he had a vision. And he became committed to it.
He didn't have formal training.
He didn't have a supply of "normal" resources.
He didn't have a collection of industrial tools.
But he had made a commitment.
Because of that, Simon built his vision. First a foundation, then a free form group of towers, some nearly 100 feet tall. The "Watts Towers".
He built them by himself with makeshift tools and used anything he could find as his substrate.
For more than 33 years he worked on the project against all odds. No funding. Fighting with the city of LA. for permits.
But despite all of this ... his work went on. And progress was made.
And the towers were built.
His vision. His work. His accomplishment.
Yet his work provided enormous inspiration for others. But disdain from the "authorities".
Although the city of LA tried to tear the towers down as a "hazard", they withstood the attempt of the city to pull them over with cranes.
And they still stand today. A testimonial to the commitment to the vision of a single man. Enjoyed by millions.
What are you building? What is it that you are ...