Berlin, around 2004. I am sitting in a cafe with one of my wonderful friends. Quite some time had gone by since we saw each other last, so we have to catch up on many things. We are conversing about the beauty of life, men, relationship issues, friends, professors, university, and even more about the great – free of charge – cultural program waiting ahead for the next week in our beloved district Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin.
In the midst of our conversation, I all of a sudden feel the urge to draw. I try to push this need away for a second, since I think it impolite to draw while talking to one of my best friends, but quickly realize that nothing could hold me back from drawing in that moment. The amazement about this discovery, and the fact that I have got nothing with me to satisfy this need, makes me interrupt my friend’s speech bluntly with a fast-forward urging, “Do you have a pen and a piece of paper?”
My friend is startled for a moment. She is obviously surprised about my question, trying to figure if something in her speech triggered my drawing urge. I explain my sudden inner need of having to DRAW RIGHT NOW. I apologize, but explain that I cannot help it. She recognizes that I am getting slightly nervous about the whole thing, thus does her best to help me out. She pulls out a pen of her bag and finds an old sales check suitable for scribbling on its back.
Happy and relieved I start drawing straight away. Whatever the reason, now I feel calm and we can continue conversing – although my eyes aren’t resting on her face anymore. It feels a bit awkward, but anyway, I am fully there, listening to her worries, giving her advices, and besides scribbling happily on the receipt. It feels so good to move this pen over the paper! That is truly what I need right now to be absolutely happy. I see simple lines changing into curves, and at some point form a face. Further on I discover that the image, which was so strongly urging to be brought onto paper, is actually a HAPPY PEPPY WITCH! Wow, what a blessing to see her! Both my friend and me are laughing excitedly about the result of my scribbling.
The greatest realization though is, that once finished the drawing, I am again back to being totally relaxed, without any further need of drawing. I conclude that it’s always good to follow your inner feeling, and I find that good friends will do anything – no matter how strange it seems to them – to help out make you feel better. I deeply appreciate true friendship. Thank You, Dear, and CHEERS, then!