When I recognized,things are so complex, that I never will be able to do everything by myself, I started to believe in God and in the help and good will of others, and this works!!
My mother once told me that children protect their parents by expecting them to know what to do. “They look at you with that confidence—Mummy will fix it!—so somehow you find a way, or pretend to.” She never finished eighth grade. I remember taking crafts or science homework home, and she’d say, “Well, let me see the instructions first…oh, this is easy! We can do this!” It never ocurred to me in those days that she was just saying that to encourage me. Her skills were no better than mine, but she made me believe mine were good enough—and when they weren’t, that the project itself wasn’t all that important.
If only there were a book for parents that explained everything in the world……..Click here: Calvin and Hobbes (November 1, 1993)Click here: Peanuts (August 6, 1972)
@orinoco womble: That’s one of my favorite Peanuts strips. A lot of the magic of Peanuts was that Charles Schulz intertwined humor and serious subjects. Bill Watterson did the same, and he said that Charles Schulz had been one of the main cartoonists who had influenced him growing up.
As an adult, Bill Watterson has mostly been a recluse who has not wanted public attention. When Calvin and Hobbes suddenly became so successful, Bill had trouble adjusting to the public attention and figuring out how to deal with it. He also had to deal with the syndicate pushing him to commercialize Calvin and Hobbes. So, today’s strip is interesting, because Bill Watterson pretty much had to write the manual for his own adult life.
Which is why teenagers are such a pain. They get mad at parents because they feel cheated out of their protected status and forced to depend on themselves as soon as they figure out that their parents are mere mortals. It’s scary as hell to figure out that your parents are not only not perfect and omnipotent, but that pretty soon you are going to be expected to handle the big scary world all by yourself.
Donkey Hotey wrote: “I’ve never understood the logic of believing in God.”@Donkey Hotey: That is a very logical statement, because belief in God is outside the realm of logic. It is in the realm of faith, spirituality, and revelation. Logic can sometimes help to remove some impediments to belief, but it can’t produce belief in God by itself.
One night when I was a single mom, my daughter was in her pj’s on the sofa after dinner. I was still in my work uniform and looking for a paper I had thrown in the unlit fireplace because I actually DID need it for some insurance thing I had to fill out. I hadn’t eaten and was exhausted from the day. My sweet daughter asked’ “Are we going to have a fire in the fireplace mom?” When I responded that, no honey, I’m just looking for a paper that I need for tomorrow, she responded, “It’s GOOD to be 7.” Yes. It is :~)
@Donkey Hotey: One of the mysteries of religion is why some develop faith whereas others do not, even when a percentage of the others wish that they could believe in God. Calvin’s predecessor, John Calvin, would explain it as predestination. But that just raises more questions. There are some things that we will never fully understand in this life.
@Donkey Hotey: In general, those who are religious have difficulty understanding why others are not. And those who are not religious have difficulty understanding why others are. So there is mystery on both sides.
BE THIS GUY almost 10 years ago
Most of us are just making it up as we go along.
ORMouseworks almost 10 years ago
Sometimes we never figure out how to be independent on our own… ;)
rentier almost 10 years ago
When I recognized,things are so complex, that I never will be able to do everything by myself, I started to believe in God and in the help and good will of others, and this works!!
watmiwori almost 10 years ago
Old German proverb: Ve gedt too zoon oldt, undt too ladte schmardt.
BE THIS GUY almost 10 years ago
@LX013Sie sind klug, Oma.
cheap_day_return almost 10 years ago
“I know I’m fakin’n it I’m not really makin’ it This feeling of fakin’ it I still haven’t shaken it.”
Simon and Garfunkel “Fakin’ It”
alviebird almost 10 years ago
Yep, just flyin’ by the seat of my pants here, with a busted compass. Just call me “Wrong Way Bird.”
orinoco womble almost 10 years ago
My mother once told me that children protect their parents by expecting them to know what to do. “They look at you with that confidence—Mummy will fix it!—so somehow you find a way, or pretend to.” She never finished eighth grade. I remember taking crafts or science homework home, and she’d say, “Well, let me see the instructions first…oh, this is easy! We can do this!” It never ocurred to me in those days that she was just saying that to encourage me. Her skills were no better than mine, but she made me believe mine were good enough—and when they weren’t, that the project itself wasn’t all that important.
thirdguy almost 10 years ago
Watterson was in a very reflective mood when he did these strips.
ahmedkhalid almost 10 years ago
waterson has been reflective for close to a week now, did his house get burgled? wheres the comic in the strips?
erik.vanthienen almost 10 years ago
It Takes a Whole Community to Be Able to Be an Adult …
JoeRaisin almost 10 years ago
After living on his own for a while, my son once commented, "This grown up “stuff” sucks."
timzsixty9 almost 10 years ago
life is an ad-lib
Hobbes Premium Member almost 10 years ago
If only there were a book for parents that explained everything in the world……..Click here: Calvin and Hobbes (November 1, 1993)Click here: Peanuts (August 6, 1972)
Hobbes Premium Member almost 10 years ago
@orinoco womble: That’s one of my favorite Peanuts strips. A lot of the magic of Peanuts was that Charles Schulz intertwined humor and serious subjects. Bill Watterson did the same, and he said that Charles Schulz had been one of the main cartoonists who had influenced him growing up.
Hobbes Premium Member almost 10 years ago
As an adult, Bill Watterson has mostly been a recluse who has not wanted public attention. When Calvin and Hobbes suddenly became so successful, Bill had trouble adjusting to the public attention and figuring out how to deal with it. He also had to deal with the syndicate pushing him to commercialize Calvin and Hobbes. So, today’s strip is interesting, because Bill Watterson pretty much had to write the manual for his own adult life.
YippiKiAyMofo almost 10 years ago
A-MEN!
Rodtnick almost 10 years ago
Am I the only one who noticed that they switched sides of the bed????
sundogusa almost 10 years ago
Now you tell me! I’m now envious of my grand kids! Four are single digits and 3 are double digits!
Diane Lee Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Which is why teenagers are such a pain. They get mad at parents because they feel cheated out of their protected status and forced to depend on themselves as soon as they figure out that their parents are mere mortals. It’s scary as hell to figure out that your parents are not only not perfect and omnipotent, but that pretty soon you are going to be expected to handle the big scary world all by yourself.
Sweetaddietude Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Adults ad lib? Only every day.
Karaboo2 almost 10 years ago
Live and Learn.Learn from your mistakes.Deal with it.That’s how I roll.
Karen SERNA Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Did they switch sides of beds? I could have sworn he was on the left side of the bed.
King_Shark almost 10 years ago
Are you grown up now?
Linda Pearson almost 10 years ago
I so agree with his last statement!
Ryan Plut almost 10 years ago
Besides, it looks Dutch not German.
Number Three almost 10 years ago
Adulthood is no walk in the park.
xxx
Hobbes Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Donkey Hotey wrote: “I’ve never understood the logic of believing in God.”@Donkey Hotey: That is a very logical statement, because belief in God is outside the realm of logic. It is in the realm of faith, spirituality, and revelation. Logic can sometimes help to remove some impediments to belief, but it can’t produce belief in God by itself.
platechick almost 10 years ago
One night when I was a single mom, my daughter was in her pj’s on the sofa after dinner. I was still in my work uniform and looking for a paper I had thrown in the unlit fireplace because I actually DID need it for some insurance thing I had to fill out. I hadn’t eaten and was exhausted from the day. My sweet daughter asked’ “Are we going to have a fire in the fireplace mom?” When I responded that, no honey, I’m just looking for a paper that I need for tomorrow, she responded, “It’s GOOD to be 7.” Yes. It is :~)
BE THIS GUY almost 10 years ago
@LX013No one should question another person’s faith.
neverenoughgold almost 10 years ago
How is it a comic strip, originally running from November 18, 1985 to December 31, 1995; i.e., some 20 years ago, can evoke so much emotion?Huh?
policefireman almost 10 years ago
Yesterday He was on the other side of the bed….
Hobbes Premium Member almost 10 years ago
@Donkey Hotey: One of the mysteries of religion is why some develop faith whereas others do not, even when a percentage of the others wish that they could believe in God. Calvin’s predecessor, John Calvin, would explain it as predestination. But that just raises more questions. There are some things that we will never fully understand in this life.
westny77 almost 10 years ago
Unless you want to become Peter Pan you have to face reality.
Hobbes Premium Member almost 10 years ago
@Donkey Hotey: In general, those who are religious have difficulty understanding why others are not. And those who are not religious have difficulty understanding why others are. So there is mystery on both sides.
g.iangoodson almost 10 years ago
Not in the gospels. 1 John 4:8
g.iangoodson almost 10 years ago
You are right about it not being in the gospels. It is in 1John4:8