The Inspiring Bee

Yesterday I had the great fortune of attending the Disney museum. But I didn’t have to go all the way to Disneyland or Disney World to get there. Lucky for me, the Walt Disney Family museum was in my neighborhood. Just an hour drive away from home, in the Presidio area of San Francisco.

I was initially skeptical. Hmmm…Disney in San Francisco? How Disney could it be? A long time fan of the two parks, I definitely had my doubts.

But I’m happy to report that not only was the museum entertaining, it was INSPIRING!

So what did I get for $20?

Although gone was the fantasy engendered by magical cast members and edible food, there was something well worth the price of admission.

I developed a keen sense that Walt Disney was a man of dreams, dignity and determination. Three D’s I previously didn’t know went with Disney.

Hearing audio recordings of his family life, watching videos and reading historical accounts of his life, I felt the birth of a dream and the fascinating man behind the mouse.

Who was Walt E. Disney?

1. Someone who had supportive parents. Haven’t ever met the guy, I can’t say for sure. But based on the museum, I’d say he was a boy who was lucky to have parents who supported his dream. His family though poor, paid for him to attend classes at an art institute.

2. Passionate about his craft. Disney fell in love with drawing as a kid and continued to draw and create cartoons. He was a cartoonist for his school newspaper and continued to focus on his artistic career throughout his life.

3. Optimistic and positive attitude. There many times in Disney’s career that people tried to take advantage of him. Yet, he kept going because he was positive and optimistic about the future.

4. He learned from his mistakes. At the beginning, Disney made a lot of mistakes. He signed contracts without reading them and trusted people he shouldn’t have. He lost a lot of money by doing so, but being the smart guy he is, quickly learned from his mistakes. To him, a mistake was just a little blimp in his path.

5. Someone who surrounded himself with positive peeps. To be as successful as he was, it would behoove Mr. D to surround himself with supportive people. And he did. He held a party at Disneyland to celebrate his wedding anniversary with friends and family and only those people he liked to be with.

6. He kept going. Disney could have stopped as a cartoonist, or as a film producer. He would have been successful enough by then. But he kept going. He persevered through war, times of uncertainty, and people who betrayed him and then created Disneyland. Now that’s inspiring!

7. He was kind to others. A young actress who worked with Disney said it was a joy to be around him. He never criticized her and was supportive. Former employees said if you saw Disney around the company’s campus, you could go up to him and talk with him about anything. That’s just the kind of guy he was.

8. He never forgot those who helped him. There is a story of how one woman helped him when he was just starting out. He never forgot her and would help support her for the rest of her life. He remembered the people who was there for him and gave back in return.

9. He kept young at heart. Disney had a life-size train right in his backyard. The 1/2 mile route went around his home. I loved seeing the joy in his eyes as he rode around on the train with his family.

I didn’t know Walt Disney, but I wish I did. Something tells me, he’d be a mentor and a hero. Whenever I feel like giving up, I’ll remember Mr. Disney, his vision, and how from an idea he made Disneyland!