Peanuts. Charlie Brown. Linus. Woodstock. A blanket. A dog house.
Snoopy.
I have to credit part of my creativity in my writing and life to Snoopy. Yep, the lovable beagle with the “I can do” attitude inspired me then and continues today.
As a child and into my teenage years, I loved to draw and write. I enjoyed doodling cartoons, especially Snoopy. I sketched on my closet door, my notebooks, and poster board; wherever I could spread my creative bent and get away with it.
And I wrote stories about dogs, cats, ghosts, and family, then graduated to mysteries with characters my own age who looked and acted a lot like me.
In college, I studied art, but enjoyed the writing I did in my English classes. Snoopy stayed with me when I left college to marry, have children, and raise a family. My creativity spread to all sorts of needlework and crafts, then to cake decorating. The last birthday cake I made my dad before he died had…you guessed it…Snoopy on it.
Now I share Snoopy posts on Facebook. Why?
I guess somewhere deep inside is that insecure child whose father was sick and in a wheelchair throughout my childhood. I related to Peanuts; their struggles and their victories. The confident little beagle who flew his dog house, fought the Red Baron, and loved Charlie Brown inspired me. Maybe if Snoopy and Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty could make it, I could too.
Thanks Snoopy!
Complete the prompt below for an extra entry in our quarterly drawings! Submit your completed writing prompt via comments.
Writing Prompt: Write a few sentences about a cartoon from your childhood that remains with you today. Let your emotion flow freely as you remember and write.
Sketched on your closet door? My daughter used hers as a journal. I think we’ll have to send it with her when she leaves home. 🙂
Mom wanted to take the door with her when she moved. She took photos instead. Next time I visit, I’ll have to look for them…
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I don’t remember ever not loving reading but according to my mother I didn’t enjoy it till 3rd grade. I had an amazing teacher who brought books to life with fun activities and I found my parent’s collection of Peanuts Treasuries. I remember loving them so much I started dragging a blanket around to emulate Linus. They threatened to take the books away when I wanted to suck my thumb, too. Then my dad got me the Narnia series and bribed me to read them with the promise of an Aslan shirt. The rest is history. Today, my entire family’s idea of an awesome day is lunch at Cici’s Pizza and the rest of the day at a book store or library. 😉
I really wasn’t ever into cartoons. I just sailed away in books.
Snoopy was always my favorite!