It Is Well With My Soul

Two weeks ago I mentioned I was going on vacation and how I don’t vacation well.  Turns out I was wrong, I vacation just fine.

I’m sure normal people, you know, people who actually take vacations, know this but the trip was a great chance for me to put some things in perspective and take a step back.  I actually slowed down.  I drew more on vacation than I ever thought possible.  Normally unless I am rushing out the door to go to work, I am spending the morning editing artwork, working on my blog while I have the washing machine and dishwasher going.  I like to be productive and like I mentioned in my last post, there’s so much that needs to be done.   Stuff needs to get done but when I was on vacation I woke up at my normal time (I can’t sleep in to save my life) but the kids were still out cold and exhausted from Disney World and I realized there wasn’t much I could do.  Usually I am a wake up and go guy but with the kids still asleep there wasn’t much to do but draw.

I set up my stuff at the hotel room desk, turned on the lamp, poured a cup of the lousy hotel room coffee and got to work.  I finished about 15 pages of The Retros in the six days I was there.  That might not sound impressive but it’s the most productive I’ve been in years.  I had the best time just waking up and drawing.  Usually it’s the evening after Sophie goes to be when I get my drawing done but this was just the best way to begin the day.

Being on vacation is calming and I was able to stop thinking about work.  Most people have no problem doing that but I have a hard time letting go.  I felt very happy and very peaceful while on the trip…not necessarily because I was on vacation but because I was drawing so much.  So yesterday I woke up, turned on the coffee maker and went right back upstairs to draw.  It was like being on vacation all over again except I had better coffee.

The trip was a reminder that I need to spend more time drawing and doing more things to make me happy.

And I am going to get right back to drawing as soon as I grab the clothes from the dryer.  Honest.