History was one of my favorite classes in high school. Not because I loved history but because I loved to draw. I would sit in history class and sketch out comic strips with characters I created based on the teacher and my classmates. The class was easy and I found that I could listen and draw and never drop a grade point. One day, however, the teacher caught me. He walked by and snatched my comic strip right out of my hand. “Hey,” I protested rather weakly. He just stood there and read my paper as I sat and waited for my punishment to be pronounced. After what seemed to be an eternity he just laughed and tossed the paper onto my desk. All he said was, “Good work.” This encouraged me. I continued creating comic strips that he would sometimes read out loud at the end of class.
I also started drawing comic strips in my computer lab class. Another easy class where there always seemed to be something funny to write about. I would leave the finished comic strips on my lab teacher’s desk at the end of class. He enjoyed them and would ask when the next one was coming if I went more than a week without turning one in.
Later on, I worked for a doctor’s office and you guessed it, I started a comic strip for them as well. I would draw them between making appointments and during my lunch break. I would hurriedly finish them and pass them around the office. The doctor’s office was always chock full of hilarious stories to write about.
I don’t draw comic strips anymore although I still enjoy drawing and doodling if I’m not writing something. For me, I suppose it was always more about the creation of the story itself.
Someone once said that we take care of what we love. I think that is true. If we enjoy doing something, if it brings a smile to our face and it makes us truly happy, we should take care of it. We should believe in it and pursue it.
It is essential to do the things in life that bring us joy. Regardless of what others may think. Regardless of whether or not it will generate income. Regardless of how much time we have or even how old we are. We need to do the things that we love for the simple pleasure it brings us in doing them. When we take care of what we love we ultimately take care of ourselves.
