This is a drawing of my son:
It’s actually him when he was 6 years old, but it’s the best one I have and I’m not able to add a new one at this time due to, let’s say, technical difficulties.
He turned 8 back on January 23. It’s amazing how much he has grown in the intervening time. Our “Little Man” is really turning into a little man. Words are not enough to tell you how proud I am of this boy. I am truly amazed by him on a very regular basis. He is immensely clever, his intelligence shining through those big brown eyes, coming up with brilliant ideas and asking insightful and probing questions. He is good at everything he does, even if he doesn’t always think so. He speaks with music in his voice, walks with rhythm in every step and the mere sight of him smiling is enough to cheer even complete strangers up. He’s a bit crazy on the kooky side, but also capable of being more sensible than most adults I know. He’s ambitious and wants to try everything. He has a dozen careers in mind for his future, and has the ability to do any of them if he wants to.
He’s especially keen on dancing and is very excited to find his new school has weekly classes in dance. He has a natural talent for it. He’s keen on music, and increasingly into drawing and writing. He was a reluctant reader who was turned around by Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Ideas always abound and nothing seems impossible to him. Although he keeps trying to poke holes in the anything is possible theory.
It might sound odd, but I’ve always been struck by how grounded in himself he seems to be. As though he is always just completely there. I don’t know if this would make sense to anyone else. Maybe it’s about presence, or maybe something less tangible. In any case, the boy is magnetic. While people say he looks like me, I think he’s far better looking, and this is because he has his beautiful mother’s genes too. He’s inherited most of his best traits from his mum. The caring, loving, compassionate, thoughtful side. He loves those around him so much that, when asked what the greatest gift he’d ever received was, his reply was “my family”.
I’d say it’s the other way around. The greatest gift his family has ever received was him.
I know it’s not strictly writing, but this is another blog inspired by the weekly Writing Workshop at Josie G’s Sleep is for the Weak blog. I chose prompt #5 this week: What do you do or where do you go to escape the stresses of every-day life? Please note that my workspace is not usually this neat.
Strangely enough, I barely used the featured desk when I drew this. I had to sit over the other side of the room to look at it.
This is another post inspired by one of the writing prompts so kindly provided by Josie at Sleep is for the Weak every week. They’re always fun to do.
The shoe isn’t entirely accurate, and sorry about the dodgy lettering, but I was a bit rushed. Two posts in two days is a record for me.
This is a drawing of my daughter:
She turns 10 years old today. 10! The big double-digit milestone. It really doesn’t feel like that long since I did the same. I certainly don’t feel old enough to have a daughter of this age.
Then again, there are those days when she behaves so much like a teenager that I need to remind myself how young she actually is. I live with a fair amount of trepidation about the years to come when she actually is a teenager. But for now, before the brain explosion, she’s still my little girl.
My little girl who has drawn so much from her parents, and does everything her own way (or tries really damn hard to). Artistic blood flows in her veins. She has a growing passion for acting that is inevitable, given that AK is an actor and I used to be. Hopefully she inherited her mother’s talent for it. She’s already inherited her mother’s beauty.
In my eyes, her greatest talent thus far lies in visual art. She’s always been advanced in that realm, and will surpass my modest talents long before she even finishes school. I’ve always admired her ability to just sit and draw. No false starts or sketchy lines. Bold, confident lines that show no fear. I’m in awe of her output (I’d love to be so prolific). She develops new techniques without guidance and when shown how to do something more advanced, she picks it up in about 5 minutes and doesn’t look back. Needless to say, I’m very proud of her.
She also loves movies (and wants to make them) and stories and is quite obsessed with dogs. She’s a cat whisperer, somehow attuned to our weird, semi-balding, aptly-named Tempest, whom she can summon with a mere whistle. She makes friends easily and excels at school. She’s smart and kind and funny. And stubborn, another inherited trait.
I can still clearly remember that moment, minutes after she was born, when she first opened her beautiful deep-blue (sometimes greenish, sometimes greyish) eyes. From that moment to this one, and forevermore, I adore my girl.
Happy birthday little J Bear.
To read a far better tribute to our daughter, go to AK’s blog at Lifeslightlyused.
Yet again I have taken a prompt from Sleep is for the Weak’s weekly writing workshop to kick start a blog entry. This week, however, I’m not putting up a comic. There is artwork, of course. Below you will see a portrait of my beautiful best friend. Below that, I will write an ode to her. Fair warning to you that I am not even remotely poetic, so don’t expect anything too lyrical.
It’s been just over 13 years now since you first walked into my life on that stage. That’s a long time, but I know that when it’s all over, 13 years will only be like that part of a TV show that hooks the audience before the opening credits. The rest of the show will comprise the next few decades.
We’ve been many things to each other over the years, but through dating, marriage, children and divorce, we’ve still remained one thing above all else: the best of friends.
I know I haven’t always acted like a best friend. Or even a friend of any sort. But it’s a testament to you that even when I was am at my most horrible, you’ve always shown how much you care and made me feel important. Important to you, and to myself, and to my part of the world at large.
We’ve gone through so many amazing experiences together, some of the highest and lowest that anyone could ever encounter. While I know that there’s a lot that I can’t share the burden of, not really, I’ll do my best to be here to support you through, just as you have always done for me.
I have never known a more compassionate and all-round gorgeous person. On top of that, you’re clever and you’re funny and you’re talented in so many ways. Did I mention brave yet? No? Well that’s only because it deserves to be written in bold italics. You are so brave. See? That was required because you’re braver than I would ever have thought possible. Without saying too much, I just want to say that I know most people would never have made it as far as you have. I admire and adore you.
My very best friend. Now and always. Thank you for everything.
This entry was inspired by one of the writing prompts from the great blog, Sleep is for the Weak, where you’ll find a weekly writing workshop. I’ve rewritten the children’s book Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton. Click on the link to have a look inside the book if you don’t know the story.
As always, all the good ideas came from AK, including the inspiration for this particular writing prompt. Do yourself a favour and read her blog, Lifeslightlyused.
