Blasting Off

Brandon Figliolino

Blasting Off 

November 7, 2019

Dear Kannon,

I’ve recently taken up drawing. Throughout my adult life, I’ve shied away from drawing, making up excuses for why I didn’t take a colored pencil to a pad of paper. I’m a writer, not a painter was the most common. I doubted my ability to draw anything good.  I let it keep me grounded, in a bad way.

Over the summer, that changed when a friend recommended I take up drawing as a hobby and a way to meditate. I nodded and smiled, feigning interest. Sure, I’ll give it a try. That sounds fun!

But it didn’t. It brought me back to elementary school arts class, where I struggled to draw anything that wasn’t abstract. I didn’t even like my stick figures. With every self portrait, city skyline, and cat drawing, I reinforced in my head that drawing was not in my skillset and that I wasn’t good. That narrative lifted off and locked away a creative side of me for many, many years. It left me swirling in a blackhole of my own making.

One day while perusing the aisles of Target—my favorite store ever—I stopped in the stationary area. I stood in front of the pads of drawing paper and colored pencils for several agonizing minutes. Should I get them? What kind should I get? Why should I get them? Do I really want to draw? What’s stopping me from trying besides my self-deprecation and lack of confidence? 

I snatched a 24 pack of pencils and pad of drawing paper and dropped them into my red hand basket. Instead of buying anything else on my list, I went straight to the self-checkout, avoiding shopping carts and other Target guests; they were asteroids trying to throw me off course. I bought the supplies and left. I didn’t want to give myself the opportunity to put them back. 

It took me a few days before I sat down with the supplies at my desk. What was I going to draw? A bicycle? A cat? Another city skyline with buildings that had crooked, uneven windows? A grassy field with a fence? I could draw anything I wanted!

Or nothing at all.

I decided to draw. I picked up a dark blue colored pencil and started dragging it lightly across the paper. After a while, I picked up a yellow and then a red and then more and more colors. Before I knew it, I had drawn a scene from outer space. I chose to draw it because I felt it was safe. Easy. 

The final drawing had a sun, some shooting stars, and in the bottom corner, I drew a small spaceship that was heading out to explore the galaxy. Through the small circular window you can see the smiling face of Uncle Brandon.  

It was a good drawing, but more importantly, I enjoyed drawing!

I’ve been continuing to draw since, and there have been several iterations of that first space drawing including one of the spaceship landing on the moon and another with Astronaut Uncle Brandon exploring the stars, his spacesuit tethered to the rocket ship. 

When I draw scenes of outer space, I think of my own life journey. I’m off exploring the world, learning about myself, and taking my rocket to new, unfamiliar places. There have been a lot of explorations over the past few years, Kannon, some of which include you! 

When your mom told me you were going to be an astronaut for Halloween, I knew I had to be one, too! I’ve been drawing the universe for months while growing and reflecting on my life and myself. Becoming kinder. Better. 

Astronauts self-reflect and learn when they’re up in space, too, right? I’m sure they do!

I hadn’t seen your costume before I bought mine. It was fitting we wore the same one, just in different sizes. You were the cutest little astronaut! 

I was pretty cute, too, if I do say so myself. 

You may see me and think I’m all grown-up and know everything. Actually, we’re both learning and growing and preparing our spaceships for new adventures that are out of this world. When you are ready to blast off, I’ll be there in mission control, available to give you guidance and coordinates to the furthest, coolest galaxies. If you get stuck in a blackhole, I’ll hop on my own spaceship to come give you a lift back home. I’m your personal NASA. 

If becoming an astronaut isn’t your passion, that’s fine! I’ll be there to help you become whatever you want. Though, if you want to be a hockey player, your Uncle Ty will be a better resource. 

Exploring space can be scary, but there is so many opportunities to see shooting stars and brilliant suns. You might even meet some friendly aliens! You’ll never know if you’re too self-conscious or afraid to try. 

I don’t have a spaceship or NASA clearances, but I do have my imagination, my art supplies, my sense of adventure, and a NASA tee-shirt. I’ll keep drawing, writing, reading, learning, and trying new things, and I hope you’ll join me!

Love, 

Uncle Brandon