I received an astronaut helmet today.  It’s not an actual NASA helmet… it’s better.

It was sent to me by a fan of the comic strip.  I never met this person in person before in my life… and he lives on the other side of the planet.  He’s never asked anything of me.  I sent him a message saying, “Thank you, but I don’t know what I did to deserve something like this…” He responded simply,”lol, you put a smile on my face everyday =]”

Wow.

I don’t need any presents to do what I do.  Sure, I’ll have my moments when I dive head first into self-deprecation and put myself down.  Then there are moments when I don’t feel respected and that I deserve respect.  I hate when I get like that.  I can’t imagine anyone wanting to be around me when I do get like that (love you Lez).

First of all, when you do what I do, you don’t “deserve” anything.  You EARN it.  You earn it by wading ankle deep in eraser shavings.  You earn it by using gallon upon gallon of ink.  You earn it by using a forest of paper.  You earn it by getting up every day with the need to create.  No one who creates “deserves” anything.

So… my very first reaction when opening this package?

Why do I deserve this?

Hand to sky…swear on my comic strip… that was my first thought.  My second thought was, “I hope I don’t burst out crying in front of my boss and entire office.”

I felt the same exact way around Christmas, when another fan (and good friend) send me an amazing Superman figure.  Again, I didn’t feel I deserved something like this.  He contended that I did.  Bob and I helped him through a difficult time in his life.  He got through it, just like I did.  He’s now healthier than ever, more inspired than ever, happier than ever and married to one of the most wonderful individuals I’ve ever ever had the honor of meeting.  Who am I to argue semantics?

With or without these wonderful gestures, I still would do what I do.  I love drawing Bob the Squirrel.  Frankly, aside from my family, my relationship with a talking cartoon squirrel has been the longest one in my life.  Every day someone reads my comic strip is a good day.  Every day someone laughs because of what I did is a good day.  I can lose sight of that sometimes…but I never take that responsibility for granted.

I’ll never feel as though I “deserve” these gifts.  I shouldn’t.  What I do know is this:  Every time I pick up a pencil to draw Bob, Lezley, Lauren, Maggie, Lucy, Izzy, Tommy or myself, I will turn my head and look at the helmet and the statue.  I may not deserve them, but I sure as hell will work damn hard to earn them.

Thanks guys.