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.

I kept writing and drawing.

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.