Imagine you could pick any superpower. What would you choose? Invisibility? Flying? Walking through walls? How about something a little more ordinary—such as an intense ability to focus? 

Mr. Lito has that superpower. Without it, he couldn’t make his art. A complicated design on a single leaf can take more than eight hours. And Mr. Lito prefers to “finish it in one go.” 

Mr. Lito says he’s been able to concentrate hard since he was a kid. But he admits he had trouble fitting in at school or at work. He struggled to understand what other people were feeling. It was hard for him to avoid conflicts. 

After years of difficulty, Mr. Lito received a diagnosis of ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). He was 30. Many successful people have ADHD. But not all of them would call it a disorder. They might label it instead as a difference—a different way God sometimes wires the brain. People with ADHD can do great, persistent work—especially when they’re excited about what they are called to do.  

Mr. Lito believes ADHD helps explain why he has always worked differently. He has adjusted his life and work to fit his learning style. 

In an interview on a website called Persephone Social, Mr. Lito says, “I looked for a job where I could use this weakness as a strength, and what I found was leaf cutouts.” 

Word of Mr. Lito’s talent has spread. He’s published books on leaf-cutting. He holds regular solo exhibits across Japan. 

“If I can make people happy by doing what I am doing, I want to do more,” he says. 

His leaf-cuttings bring smiles—and amazement. After seeing them, you may never look at a leaf the same again! 

Let the Earth sprout vegetation. . . . And God saw that it was good. — Genesis 1:11-12