Catharsis

I know what you say to yourself after reading this blog. You finish a sentence, wipe away a tear of joy, and say, "That Noah, he seems like a pretty self-assured guy. I bet he would never be nervous is any situation." I appreciate your confidence in me, I really do. But unfortunately this impression I give of myself is a sham. My true state of mind is a bit more wobbly, closer to this:

This poor fellow is so nervous he is literally chewing his guts out. Stress has driven the hair from his head and the clothes from his body, and in his naked vulnerability he can do nothing more than worry himself into paralyzing anxiety. This is how I used to feel before going on dates, getting dressed in the morning, eating cheese, or participating in any activity that might involve making any decision, anywhere. Then, I made this drawing. Oh, the catharsis! I was cured! How incredible it is that Art with a capital "A" can be used for the betterment of the soul, for the fortification of the heart's resolve on that everlasting march toward wisdom! How else do we mount the peaks of adversity and dam the deluge of our fears if not sustained by the spiritual bounty that Beauty provides! To live free, to jettison our foul moods and ignorant anxieties from the hot air balloon of our existence! If only ART could lead the way!

Sadly, this feeling lasted only an hour. I am still afraid of cheese. I still shake before choosing shirts from my closet. Fortunately, I did overcome my fear of dates, and ate one yesterday.

One last observation about this drawing. You might be wondering about my decision to bowdlerize my own work by adding a leaf over this man's genitalia. There are two reasons. 1) I had to give him some small protection against whatever is making him so tense, and 2) I am a very demure person, and would not be able to stop giggling long enough to finish drawing the balls.