Maria Kalman recently arrived in our Inbox with an invitation to buy a signed and numbered edition she created. It’s called DON’T THINK TOO MUCH and includes a shiny red ball, a large embroidery on linen about not thinking too much (with loops for hanging), and a 20-inch square crumpled tissue paper manifesto explaining how to not think too much. She wrote:

it has come to our attention
that the world is in a little bit
of an anxiety situation.

and though there is always
ample reason for anxiety,
it behooves us to 
find a respite.
a moment of simple joy.


and such a moment
is what we have for you

The essential message: simple analog activities, like taking a walk or tossing a ball (especially with someone), REALLY helps.

As does remembering some simple wisdom, the WHY of it:

…there must be some respite. Some moments of an empty brain…

…In the strangeness of life, LIVE

In other words, to live in the strangeness of life is to enjoy frequent respites of simple, clarifying, analog pleasures.

$200. 10% of proceeds go to No Kid Hungry & UNICEF; shipping june 5th. Purchase HERE.

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2 replies on “Advice for An Anxiety Situation (Maira Kalman)

  1. I misread that last line as ‘In the strongness of life, live.’ I love both but ‘strongness’ kind of made me feel held by the force that drives it all, whatever that may be. A kind of, no matter what, you are safe, so relax, enjoy, and sink your teeth in.

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