The Curse: Part I
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![The curse]()
The curse
Posted: Thursday, November 4, 2010 2:26 pm
The Curse: Part I
There's a certain talk that some children have with their
parents. It comes when the child - usually as a teen or young adult
- has a moment of self-realization. At that time it's only fair to
share with mom and dad this moment of discovery, as they are the
ones who invested so much of their lives in the upbringing of the
soul-searching youth.
The fear before the talk comes in waves. Will they accept me like
this? Will my news give dad a heart attack? Will mom console
herself in a flood of tears? Most importantly, will they still love
me?
I had such a moment of clarity, followed by such a talk.
We sat in the living room. They on the faded couch, me on the dusty
ottoman. Sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a shadow on
my face.
Deep breath. Clasped, sweaty hands between jumpy knees. Anxious
looks exchanged.
"Mom ... Dad ... ," I started.
"Oh my God," Mom interjected.
"Mom, please," I begged. Another deep breath. Just say it! "I'm a
cartoonist."
My mother let go an audible gasp. My father sat with a stunned,
confused look plastered across his mug. I could see them
questioning themselves. Hadn't they raised me right? Didn't they
make me take all the right classes in high school? Wood shop, metal
shop, accounting for Pete's sake!
The house was quiet for what seemed an eternity.
"How can this be," Mom asked to no one across the room.
"It's ... It's just the way I am," I apologized.
Actually, my mother expected no less of me, and my father shows off
my work to a lot of people (Ssh! Don't tell him I know).
To be completely honest, I've never had the above moment. But
that's the way a cartoonist's mind works. We find humor in the most
mundane, the most painful and even the most serious of life's
events.
It's a curse.
Posted in
Abstract lodi
on
Thursday, November 4, 2010 2:26 pm.
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posted at 3:30 pm on Thu, Nov 18, 2010.
This reminds me of a line from one of my favorite movies, Hope Floats. The Sandra Bullock character is walking around a home designed and crafted by the Harry Connick character, who is the town handyman. She says to him, "If you can do this (gesturing to the wonderful home) then why are you an handyman?"
The Handyman replies "Are you suggesting I take something I love and torture it?".
Many try to do what they love only to find its too much work to enjoy. If you can do something that brings you joy...daily...then you NEED to do that thing.