Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Life according to Peanuts

I love Peanuts.

They were a comic staple in the newspapers my father subscribed to as a child. So growing up I was familiar with the world's smartest beagle and his perfectly-round-headed owner. Even then, with such meager exposure, I appreciated the quirkiness of Charlie Brown's world.

But during one summer spent with at my cousins I found myself with access to an extensive library of all things Peanuts. Now I didn't have to wait til the next day to see them. I was getting my fix via booklets and compilations. I started usings expressions like "Good grief", began describing myself as "crabby" and followed the (mis)adventures of the Red Baron.

These were characters that were lovable yet flawed. They weren't just amusing, they were snippets of humanity in its purest form. Linus in his existential wisdom, Lucy in her self-centeredness, Schroeder in his single-minded devotion and Charlie Brown in his eternal hopefullness in the face of adversity.

There was always a truth told within those 4 drawn boxes. Truth that was simple, yet enduring. I have often used a strip to illustrate how I was feeling. Once again, Peanuts doesn't fail me.

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