The Little Prince: On looking back.

"Draw me a sheep..."

-from "The Little Prince," by Antoine De Saint-Exupery

x

I am blowing bubbles just below the surface of bathwater. I have emptied an entire bottle of Mr. Bubble into the tub. I am surrounded by plastic penguins. Hannah the Stuffed Arctic Seal is observing me from the washbasin counter. I am two again.

I am standing half awake. I hold a quarter-size dollop of lemon clarifying shampoo in my palm. I have turned the water to a scalding, steaming heat. I silently remember what I am supposed to do for the rest of the day. I am me, wishing I were two.

This past semester, my days have effortlessly turned into weeks, which have turned into months, which has turned into a blur. Time slowed down every now and then, but I am still left feeling like all I've been doing is watching water trickle from my cupped hands. And the feeling afterward? Bewildered and somewhat empty.

And with this settling in my psyche, I've come back to the place that is my makeshift home to hide away from the usual daily onslaught of lists and tasks and lists of tasks. I hide away and cocoon myself in the warmth that is family, cat, books, g00d cooking, oversized sweaters and naps.

And water coloring.


Self portrait.


It started with tofu... then I got hungry and thought of what else would go well with tofu. And then I got distracted after I realized I did not have an eggplant.


I was still hungry.


Giraffes. Lots of them.


Water color and ink bird in my planner, copied from "The Week-end Book."


Water color and ink owl in planner.