Balloons, Tattoos, & Toothbrush Faeries

Lately balloons have been on my mind, both their symbolic possibilities and their literal joy, of holding their strings, bringing me back to childhood innocence. When I was in New York last May, my family, friends, and I were at this outdoor market, and someone let go of a red balloon, and I watched it sail into the sky. It floated higher and higher and didn't get lost to me behind any skyscrapers, trees, or clouds. I watched this balloon until it became just a little prick in the sky, a barely-there dot, and then it "disappeared." I felt so free in that moment. I was brought back to this moment last Thursday morning at Tiny's Coffee House. This singer, Smoosh, was playing over the speakers, and a local artist--Justin Frey--had artwork on the walls. One of them was of two ravens or crows, and they were in a stormy sky, and in the space between them was a red balloon, its string trailing down.

My new tattoo is almost healed. It's the cover (and an inside drawing) of The Ghost of Windy Hill; the story is by Clyde Robert Bulla, the art by Don Bolognese. Mom and Grandma Nellie read this book to me over and over as a child (the quilt chapter is my favorite), and it's one of my biggest inspirations for wanting to be a writer, particularly of mysteries. It takes weird kinds of guts to get a tattoo. I mean, in my opinion, you have to be SO SURE that you want this thing a permanent part of your flesh & being. That's why I got my Providence tattoo a few years ago: I was so sure that we all are a part of God's benevolent plans that I wanted to honor this structure in my skin. Same with this book cover -- my confidence in my writing, and my knowledge that I am Writer Nathan, always. If I ever doubt God or my writing, I can say, "Ah, but look....here you go, a flesh-reminder. So there!"

Finally, I was visited by the Toothbrush Faerie recently. He left a toothbrush in my dresser drawer, and I was incredibly moved by this. The Toothbrush Faerie is telling me, "Hey, there are plenty of slumber parties on the way. Here's a little piece of proof for you."