And How Do You Feel Today?

And How Do You Feel Today?

The Flu

9" X 12"

colored pencil and ink

This is an assignment that I often gave my classes, when it was obvious that many people were coming to class feeling bad, when something happened that made everyone upset or sad, or even, on days when everyone felt good.

How would it be possible to show how we felt when we suffered with the miseries of the flu? Or how we felt about the illness or death of a student? Or how could we express what it was like to feel sunshine and joy?

Expressionism is certainly one way that artists use to deal with their feelings.

Who has not, at one time or another, looked at Edvard Munch's painting, "The Scream", and thought, "That's just the way that I felt!" Or looked at Kathe Kollwitz's prints of fearful mothers and thought, "I've felt that fear for my child, too."

Even our reactions to things that aren't so serious as war and famine, are often found in our art work and creations. Sometimes it is through our choice of colors, or even the way we make a mark on paper. But, those emotions are bound to come out one way or another.

In our house, this past week, we all fell victim to the flu bug that is going around. First the elementary school age child, then his mother, next, his brother, and I got it last. That meant trying to coax everyone into getting plenty of fluids, rest, and using a lot of tissue. Making sure they took their medicine, had something to eat, and could sleep or watch movies on tv.

I thought of the assignment that I once had my students do, and, so, I thought it was time to do a new "How I Feel Today" picture.

Not exactly a self portrait, but it shows something of how the flu feels!

Nose dripping like a faucet, eyes red and pouring, ears stopped up, head in a vise, with bells ringing, dizziness, mouth and throat so dry it's like prickly cactus in the desert, needles and pins sticking all over, throat so tight you feel like you are being strangled, nausea, stomach ache, head feels like it is on fire, and all that goes with the flu. This time, though, we didn't seem to have those chills and sweats, or the very high temperatures. While we have been feeling really miserable, we must have had a mild form of the flu, this time around.

I guess things are better this year, though, because, last year, at this time, two of us, and one dog, had bronchitis.

Sometime, when you think about it, write down or draw the way that you feel. You might be surprised at how much detail you can put down. And, they might give you a bit of a laugh, later.

Stay well!
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