Doodle — funny word, right? “To scrawl aimlessly,” according to Etymology Online, and doodle is also linked lexically with “dawdle,” that is, “to fritter away time.” Granted, I do not doodle on my laptop unless it’s something productive like scheduling a meeting.
But before writing this essayette in my journal, I scrawled a short line on the page to mark a separation from my previous entry, and while thinking of what to write, I added to this line, doodling a diamond shape, which, in turn, made me imagine a kite. So, I happily added a squiggly tail with ribbons, then a few clouds and a smiling sun.
This doodling brought to mind my buddy David, who flies beautiful kites that are beyond my artistic abilities to depict. David is a bright guy with a cheerful disposition, a smile beaming light rays.
Maybe clouds are nature’s way of doodling. They’re wispy and flighty; they change and form shapes, shifting into images like a kite or polar bear. My daughter recently spied an ice cream cone in the sky, which, like a sign from the gods, led us to purchasing frozen treats.
A doodlebug is not only an insect but also a term of affection, particularly for a young child. Doodling, like having your head in the clouds, might be seen as lazy, even problematic.
However, perhaps the whimsy of following your pen across the page in swirls and curlicues, holds value, as it can reveal something hidden within you—a thought, an image, or a hope—that just needed a little creative energy to come into view.
Andrew Taylor-Troutman is the author of the book with Wipf and Stock Publishers titled This Is the Day: A Year of Observing Unofficial Holidays about Ampersands, Bobbleheads, Buttons, Cousins, Hairball Awareness, Humbugs, Serendipity, Star Wars, Teenagers, Tenderness, Walking to School, Yo-Yos, and More. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where he is a student of joy.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines