You can blame my son for the title. It came to him after reading Faith’s comment that the sculpture course in Rome had been a quantum leap of learning for her. And of course it was Solstice.

We all had every relevant appendage crossed for Faith that day. And wild whoops of joy  and pride went out as we learned that she had graduated with honours after three years studying in the UK for her Bachelor of Arts degree. Not that we had ever been in any doubt of her talent. She creates such breathtaking things.

Yet it has not been an easy journey. For anyone to leave their own country and go alone to another to study is a big leap. For Faith, coping with bipolar disorder, it was a huge undertaking. One, moreover, she was told in many quarters was doomed to failure.

But brave, beautiful Faith doesn’t give up. We have seen this tiny woman stand tall against all the odds and the negativity of others, and she has worked  till her hands bled to meet deadlines. I have only met one other with this amount of determination to succeed when failure seems the most likely logical outcome, in the eyes of those looking on. That, of course, is my son.

The pair of them cope daily with things most of us will never see. Much of Nick’s brain injury is invisible… the outer scars have healed, the disabilities remain, but the damage to the mechanics of thoughts and emotions is very real and ever present. Bipolar disorder affects everyone differently, though there are common strands. Yet most of them the majority of people will not even think of, seeing only the surface and not the inner struggle. Though their problems are very different, both Faith and Nick cope with these invisible battles every day and yet maintain their love of life and sense of humour. I could not be prouder of either of them.

Together, the two of them are spectacular in their courage and inner strength, fitting together like pieces of a jigsaw, supporting each other when things are tough and sharing joy and laughter. Mention this and my son will laugh it away with a comment like the one this morning… again from James Bond…I’ll do anything for a woman with a knife. Yet together they are more than just inspiring, they are a living example of what the human spirit can achieve.

Soon little Faith will become my daughter. My son will fire me and I can go back to being just Mum. The past few years have been full of such a mixture of pain and wonder, and watching these two young people launch themselves towards a future full of possibility is a joy. Miracles are wrought every day, quietly, often unnoticed, by the human heart and its courage. When two hearts that are meant to be together learn how to shine together, beauty is born into the world.

All artwork by Faith.. you can find more on her Facebook page Little Big Faith or on her Tumblr page