Friday, January 30, 2015

Je Suis Charlie

   
Papa est parti pas Wolinski
 
Terrorism can happen so far away and yet hit so close to home. I was shocked when I learned of the slaughter of twelve innocent journalists on the staff of the French political satire cartoon magazine called “Charlie Hebso”. 
     A band of militant extremists assassinated twelve people on the magazine’s staff because their religious beliefs differed with a cartoon the periodical ran on it’s cover. The terrorists exposed their true colors by striking at personal freedom, thus showing the rest of the world what will happen to freedom everywhere if these savages are allowed to come into power. In targeting a small band of cartoonists, these terrorists have managed to spotlight the horror and intolerance behind their agenda.
Watching the news, I was outraged along with the rest of the world. As a cartoonist, I was saddened on a deeper level. A close bond exists between the brotherhood and sisterhood of cartoonists in the world. Only a small number of us are chosen by this unique vocation, so the loss seems even more compelling. 
     Cartooning is a strange and lonely profession. It is done solitarily, by one person with one pencil and one sheet of paper, but its simplicity brings joy to many. Cartoons are an ephemeral art form with a short life span. They are meant to be looked at, read and absorbed in an instant, offering a brief chuckle or a perplexed smirk, depending on their content (and depending on the reader's state of mind at the time). Then the page is turned and they evaporate into the ether. A good cartoon strikes a familiar nerve with the reader and finds a home on a cubicle wall or a refrigerator door, where its shelf life lingers a little longer. Most cartoons are disposable, making a quick point and moving on its way with the rest of the day’s information, usually never to be heard from again. And certainly not cause for a reaction extreme enough to warrant the murder of the artist who creates it. Although cartoonists work alone, we share a common bond that can’t be defined, and can’t be broken.
     The terror attack in Paris only makes the need for free speech stronger. As an artist, I never underestimate the power a cartoon can have. Cartoons may look like a few quick strokes of ink on paper, but the simple combination of words and pictures can cut deep into the reader’s soul, eliciting a response from the inside out, as the warmth of humor or the cutting edge of satire spread from the brain to the heart, causing an instant flood of  endorphins to wash over a person’s psyche. Good cartoons are powerful things. Just for an instant, they make the reader feel something. Humor. Laughter. Enlightenment. Not only do cartoons make us feel, they make us think. They make us reflect on the human condition and make us realize we are not alone on our journey through life.
     Attacks on freedom of speech will never be tolerated by the masses. Cartoons, like freedom, can’t be contained. At least not while people can still think for themselves. Hopefully the majority of people will feel that way for a long, long time. This tragedy brings new meaning to the old saying “the pen is mightier than the sword”. 
     I will continue to fight for personal freedom as long as I can scribble words and pictures on paper that make people smile, and once in awhile, make people stop and think. Je Suis Charlie.



Sunday, January 4, 2015

Tabula Rasa

     
     Dictionary.com defines the term “Tabula Rasa” as anything existing undisturbed in its original pure state. It’s origin is from the Latin words meaning scraped table, or more commonly translated as “clean slate”. I learned this phrase from a high school writing assignment my son brought home from his English class a few years ago. I liked the sound of the phrase, and more importantly, I liked the meaning behind it.
     With a new year upon us, I’m adopting Tabula Rasa as my catch-phrase for 2015. Imagine the year stretched out in front of you, a virtual blank slate for you to shape into anything you want. New beginnings. A fresh start. Unlimited possibilities. A white canvas, full of nothing, waiting for me to paint it with colors I choose. The possibilities are endless.
     Tumultuous 2014 was a trying time for the entire world. Disease, terrorism, civil unrest – it was hard to find a glimmer of positivity as the year wore on. On a personal level, my year was eventful as well. My roller coaster ride through life continued at break-neck speed. The high point was my son’s wedding last January; the low point was biting my fingernails while waiting approval for student loans so my youngest son could continue his education at Berklee College of Music. Sandwiched in between were the usual medical dramas and days full of life’s little surprises that always catch me off guard no matter how prepared I think I am.
     2015 feels different already. I’m approaching the calendar as a year of opportunity and change. My own personal philosophy is that each one of us creates our own reality. Make sure you create a reality to your liking. Combine these thoughts with my “tabula rasa” mentality, and I am not intimidated by the year to come. I am looking forward to shaping my life the way I want it to be.
     Easier said than done. I’m taking small steps, one day at a time, to make things happen the way I want them to. There will always be things beyond my control, but the way a person handles situations that arise is a true test of inner resolve. We can’t control adversity, but we can control our reaction to it.
     I see big changes on the horizon. My son is expecting his first child, expanding our family tree into the future. I'm happily moving up a notch to make room for the next generation.
     I'm ready to open myself up to the waiting arms of the universe and let it take me headlong into infinity. And I’m ready to explore each and every experience my universe has to offer. Bring on the blank canvas of 2015 and let me paint the best and brightest picture I can with what I have to work with. Let me mold my experiences to make things better for everyone I come in contact with. This year, if I’m the only person I encounter who has a positive attitude, that’s enough for me.