As a child, I couldn’t express myself.

I goofed off a lot - daydreaming in the classroom,

zoning out, and drawing stuff instead of paying attention to lessons.

I drew in text books, walls, and the palms of my hands.

No plain surface was spared!

Then I grew up.

I stopped drawing. It was "childish.”.

Instead, I did my “grownup” duty, reporting to work and enduring the 9 to 5.

It dawned on me. that I was unemployable! Not because I couldn’t hold down a job.

The opposite was true. I won accolades for work well done,

But I was a fraud because I diligently towed the line at jobs I hated.

So, I uncaged the free spirit that is my inner child to embrace the adult that I am.

and with that, the permission to imagine again.

I am back in the zone, making art.

As I should.

Michael Kapten