01/16/2026
I sat down to draw this image, i had no metaphor or word prompts in mind. I just wanted a quiet time to draw with pencil to practice “looking.” Later, I started noticing things I hadn’t planned.
The door is right there. The steps are small, but not insignificant. And as my architectural friend pointed out, the door probably pulls open instead of pushes, which means stepping backward while balancing forward… not exactly confidence-inspiring if your balance isn’t great.
So there he is. Pausing. Not because he doesn’t want to go in. It’s because entering might be harder than it looks, and not wanting to fall. Anyway, it struck me how often life does this. Opportunities, conversations, changes, even “the right thing” can still require balance, timing, and a moment to ask, How am I going to do this without falling or failing?
Creativity works the same way. Sometimes the hardest part isn’t starting ... it’s noticing the steps, the angle, the pull of the door, and giving yourself permission to pause instead of forcing your way through. It’s the looking at life.
So this drawing reminds me that pausing isn’t procrastination. Sometimes it’s wisdom checking to see if I’m stable. 😀