🇺🇸Hi friends, I would love to share a brief story with you. In my short flight from Chicago to Virginia two days ago I sat next to a man who was a Vietnam veteran. This kind man saw me drawing in my sketchbook and asked if I was an artist. After answering yes, he told me he was one too! He said that he used writing and drawing to cope with his PTSD over the years and it was a sort of therapy for him. By writing and drawing about his experiences in Vietnam he has been able to honor those that were lost and continue his own healing process.
We talked the whole flight about both of our relationships with art and how it can help heal people who have traumas in their lives. Towards the end of the flight he said he loved meeting artists because there is something unique about them. They document history in a way and create something that outlives them. This man chose mostly to give his drawings to his family and close friends in hopes that he would be remembered through his art. He gave me permission to share a few of his drawings on social media because I felt this story was important to share.
This man told me that war strips you of your identity and humanity but art can help restore these key aspects of yourself. So please remember these selfless people who have sacrificed so much for our safety. We are forever grateful 🙏🏻