Formative Influences

So I just embarked on a massive Calvin and Hobbes binge, and I realized that, being the "instinctive Romantic" that I am, Calvin and Hobbes was probably intrinsic to the formation of my Romantic world-view. I spent a huge portion of my childhood (and by huge I mean multiple summers and weekends, the only part of childhood that counts) reading Calvin and Hobbes. And I expect Calvin and Hobbes' deep philosophical musings juxtaposed to the shortcomings of their reality imbued me with the very same tendencies. I, like Calvin, thought too much.

I still do.

But as the final strip of the series illustrates, Calvin and Hobbes as a stripe had he very essence of Romanticism buried within. I can't depict it here, unauthorized replications of Watterson's work being illegal without permission, which I don't have, but I'm sure you can find it somehow. All I shall say is that now, even as I was 10 years ago and more, it's still a magical world.