Ever since its creation in 1985 by cartoonist Bill Waterson, the comic strip series featuring a little boy named Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes has made an impact on many.
Back when I was in grade two or three, I vividly remember coming across a book filled with Calvin and Hobbes comic strips among the books at home. It immediately fascinated me and I went on to 'read' ahead. I did not understand a thing except the fact that Calvin was a mischief maker and Hobbes was his thoughtful sidekick. I was not even aware that Hobbes was only a personified stuffed animal. After this incident, I packed the book back into the shelf and never saw it again.
Years later in late 2020, I came across Calvin in an article, and it brought back an old memory. I searched for the book I’d once found but seeing no signs of it I went looking online. Once I found them, I made it a ritual of mine to look up the day’s print before I went to bed which I still follow even today.
It was only after reading these comics with a slightly more mature mind that I could finally understand the childish philosophical humour that is the stark characteristic of the comics. In other words, Calvin and Hobbes teach the basic truths and sciences of life that we often overlook as we remain subdued in our everyday chaos.
For example, in a certain strip Calvin says that he’s decided to stop caring about certain things because if you care too much the chances of disappointment will be equally high.
On a more sentimental note, the comics remind me every single day that sometimes it’s okay to just talk to yourself and make imaginary friends and have deep conversations with them about life, the same way Calvin does to Hobbes because maybe in the process you may learn something too.
They taught me that however complicated life is, you can always make it mischievously playful and that everybody, absolutely everybody, no matter how smart they claim to be, does ignorant things in the end. Therefore, in many ways, Calvin and Hobbes helped me realise essential truths.
Even today there are many of their comics that don't make sense but I know they will one day so until then I’ll continue moving on as simply as Calvin and Hobbes do.
Calvin and Hobbes
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