Hi Reader,

This morning, I was running late for my chiropractor appointment and left the house without my phone. I realized it the moment my audiobook didn’t automatically play in the car.

For a split second, I thought about turning back. But the drive was short, so I decided to carry on without it.

In the waiting room, instead of checking email, I picked up the local newspaper—something I haven’t done in years. It felt almost quaint, like stumbling into a hidden glade where time moves slower.

On the way home, I twisted the dial of my car radio - yes, the regular radio! - and landed on an NPR station. They were discussing anthropomorphism: our tendency to give human qualities to things that aren’t human.

I laughed out loud.

Because truthfully, I’ve always had a soft spot for inanimate “friends.”

Through the years I’ve named cars and spoken encouragement to them on long road trips.

When the ice maker in our fridge finally whirred back to life after a recent repair, I cheered it on with a high-five on the door and a heartfelt, “You can do it!”

And, I'm convinced that our wood stove works better when I speak to it gently while adding the first bits of kindling to get a fire going.

Once, I worked with a moody printer/copier that tormented everyone in the office with paper jams and crumpled pages.

Strangely, it seemed to like me. I’d whisper to it, gently pat its control panel, and somehow it worked well for me. In my mind, it wasn’t just a machine. It was a temperamental creature that only needed kindness to keep chugging along.

The NPR guest, author Justin Gregg, spoke about his love for Kermit the Frog and how even adults can feel star-struck when meeting a puppet. He explained that anthropomorphizing objects and creatures isn’t just whimsy though. It’s survival.

When we imagine our tools and companions are alive, we tend to take better care of them. They last longer, serve us better, and in the grand scheme of evolution, move humanity forward.

By the time I pulled back into my driveway, I couldn’t wait look up his new book Humanish: What Talking to Your Cat or Naming Your Car Reveals About the Uniquely Human Need to Humanize.

Sadly, it won’t be released until next week, but I can’t wait to dive into the stories inside.

And all of this—every bit of it—happened because I accidentally left my phone at home.

It made me wonder how many small enchantments I’ve missed while reaching for my phone. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a bit of magic waiting for us in those unguarded pauses: the newspaper on the table, the radio dial, the secret life of ice makers and printers. 😀

I, for one, think the world feels a little kinder when we let ourselves believe that even machines have hearts. ❤️

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What do you think, Reader?

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Until next time,

In the Shop:

A small cardinal painting I completed last year became a brand new illustration thanks to the new skills I'm learning in my Photoshop class. I couldn't wait to share it, so I've added it to my shop. Cardinal Couple on a Branch is available as an art print, canvas print, greeting card or spiral notebook.

Art Print ​ Shop Now

Canvas Print ​ Shop Now

Spiral Notebook ​ Shop Now

Greeting Card ​ Shop Now

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Inside My Sketchbook:

I returned to sketching for the last few weeks. The rabbit sketch was completely spontaneous, starting with a few scribbled circles on the page that quickly turned silly. The squirrel was from a reference image.

Pictures of the Week:

The biggest news of the week was the arrival of my new grand-nephew Jayden Lee who was born on September 10th. Our family text chat was abuzz with new pictures every day as everyone visited the baby. Holding him for the first time brought back memories of when my nephew Christian was born. Now he's a dad. How the time flies. 😀