The Plane

I drew a picture of an airplane yesterday. Not for a client. Not because I had to. No, I drew it because I wanted to.

Sometimes you have to reconnect with the joy of your craft. Mine is drawing.

I’ve struggled with it as of late. Seven years ago, I lost faith in it. Last year, a concussion stunted my creativity. This year, the death of my parents left my mental canvas blank.

Some days I felt like I was losing my talent. It was a slog to get my work done — and in my opinion, it showed.

So I sat down and just drew the plane I loved as a child — the F4U Corsair, a U.S. Navy and Marine fighter aircraft from World War 2. I wanted to see if I still could.

I could.

I felt joy. There was no deadline. No pressure. Just pen stroke after pen stroke. And I’m happy with the result.

My brain is fine. My heart is fine. The joy of my craft is fine, too. When you’re given a gift from God, the best thank you note in the world is to use that gift. I needed that reminder. It’s a healthy use of your energy and time.

Art is a life raft in a increasing turbulent sea. It will save you when everything else is crashing around you.

One pen stroke at a time.