Nostalgia 101

I love things that I used to love.


My birthday was back in June, and my brother got me the definition of The Gift That Keeps On Giving. I'd wanted this gift for ages, but for some reason I never got around to it. Butts finally came through for me, though. He got me The Essential Calvin and Hobbes. It's 3 separate volumes containing every single Calvin and Hobbes comic strip ever published by Bill Watterson. This comic strip is absolutely genius in every possible way. It appeals to people of all different ages on all different levels. When you are young, CnH is funny for the slapsticky comedy and the fantastical charachters Calvin comes up with. Now that I'm older, I can appreciate the social commentary hidden amidst the childlike wonder that is a kid and his imagination. Also, the humor is timeless, as it's not really tied to any particular period so it can't be dated.

When I was a kid, Calvin and Hobbes was my own personal thesauras. If I didn't know the meaning of a word in a strip, I would look it up so I could use it in a sentence and sound smart like the charachters in the comic. Not only did CnH encourage me to read, but it expanded my vocabulary in ways that no other (fun) book had previously done. CnH is smart, it's funny, and it's timeless, but the most important ingredient is it's heart. Bill Watterson put his life into this work, and it shines through. He's captured the innocence of childhood completely and effortlessly. Everyone can identify with Calvin, because we've all been like him at one point in our lives. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that most people out there wish they could go back to a time when their lives consisted of playing with friends (real or imaginary) and worrying (or not, if you were like me) about tomorrows math quiz. For a mere comic strip, CnH is able to connect with people in a most basic and beautiful way.

For the past hour or so, I've been sitting in my room flipping through the first volume in this wonderful series. For the strips I remember, I have a smile and a chuckle. For those I don't, more often then not I find myself laughing out loud. The happiness that this series brings to me is tinged with melancholy, as I know that I have it all. There never will be any more new strips to bring that joy to my life again. The upside of that is I can share in the wonder someday as I pass these books on to my children, and watch Calvin and Hobbes work their magic on the next generation. These books are one of the greatest gifts I've ever recieved. The least I can do is share the joy.