Some days ago, I shared this sketch on Instagram. I created it as a spot illustration for an article about sharing bad news.* To me, it felt like a good match with the theme of “reading the room.” When it comes to sharing difficult news, timing and context really matter.
And now I find myself in that exact place. Is social media—Instagram, in my case—really the right place to share deeply personal, difficult news? For me, Instagram has always held value. It helped me build my creative career, connect with inspiring people, and discover so much beauty. Yes, Instagram has changed over time, and so has the way people interact on it. But the people themselves haven’t changed. Even though I’m a small fish with 3,750 followers, many of those followers are very dear to me.
So why should I only share my small wins, the work I’m proud of, or happy updates? Why not the hard stuff too? I don’t know. Somehow, it just doesn’t feel right. That’s why I’m taking this in-between step—sharing here what I’m not yet ready to say out loud there.
My mother isn’t doing well. Her candle is slowly going out. I wish her peace, but it’s heartbreaking. And when I’m in pain, I tend to retreat. I go quiet. Also on social media. Especially there. That doesn’t mean I’m not working. I’m still creating, and that gives me a lot of comfort. But right now, sharing and celebrating my illustrations feels difficult. I’ll be back. And I’ll keep looking.
*
This sketch was made for Experience Life, but we decided to go with three other ideas for the article. You can find the final illustrations here.