Gun Show
For over twenty years I’ve made a living sitting alone at a drawing board. I absolutely love it and I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life, but if I’m honest there are times when I worry that I spend *too* much time by myself. At some level I know that so much alone time can’t be healthy, and yet I feel hard-wired to live that way. As an introvert I tend to view spending time with people the same way I view eating my vegetables: I know it’s important and if there’s enough seasoning and flavor I can even enjoy it, but I still have to force myself to do it.
I’m fully aware that in the end, people are more important that cartoons. On my death bed the lives I’ve touched will matter a lot more than the drawings I did. And yet, the gifts I’ve been given require solitude. That’s a balance I’m always wrestling with.
So lately I’ve been stepping up my efforts to get out and have a social life. Making friends is still sometimes a challenge and I occasionally put my foot in my mouth without even realizing it. But I guess being aware of the problem is half the battle.
