life is better with comics

​I’m the crazy person who has always read the (paper) newspaper.  After I left home for college, I began subscribing for daily delivery, and I have never stopped. One thing I have always loved to read in the paper is the comics.  I love how they regularly make me smile and laugh, and I’ll often share a particularly funny or relevant one with my husband. We both think that we are the living incarnate of the couple in Pickles, albeit some decades younger.
 
When I give presentations, I sometimes include a comic that highlights some aspect of my talk. For example, Pearls Before Swine has had some really spot-on strips about the impact of smart phones and social media, and they add levity to my presentation on technology. 
 
Something that has distressed me recently is realizing that people no longer read the comics. Out of curiosity, I have begun to ask attendees: “Who reads the comics?”. While there used to be some who did, now I am seeing that practically no one still reads the comics. This may reflect the lack of people getting a paper newspaper or that many get their news online or through social media.
 
I have to say, if you are not reading the comics regularly, you should reconsider. The comics are funny and light.  They add smiles and levity to a day. Lately, I often hear how hard life feels for many people. Everyday life is challenging for a variety of reasons, and the news can be dark and stressful. Additionally, many people describe feeling like they are living under a dark cloud from politics and worry about the environment.
 
With so much that is difficult and challenging in our lives these days, we need the comics more than ever!! Might I prescribe a daily dose of comics? Some of my current favorites are Pearls Before Swine, Wumo, and Pickles. And if you want to delve into some of the funniest comics from the past, try Calvin and Hobbes or Bloom County.