Have you ever had a caricature drawn of yourself?  Well, if you have been to a county fair, the Bellevue Art Festival or the Champs-Elysees, you have probably been offered a chance to do so.  I have had a number of opportunities, and it seemed frivolous until I reached fifty and saw the work of an artist in Las Vegas.

The caricature artist takes aspects of you and blows them up, exaggerates them.  If the caricature works, you smile or laugh right out loud at the image they provide. The Las Vegas artist actually allowed his customers to choose their favorite fantasy of themselves.  You could be taller, shorter, exaggerate your bust line or your waistline, and be on a Harley, a stallion or a surf-board.  Given that I have been slim and small busted most of my life with hair that even with tons of gel and hair spray never looked like Farah Fawcett or her brunette equivalent, I choose a full – breasted figure with long flowing locks.  What a hoot!  I keep the picture near-by to laugh at whenever I get too serious about myself.

When you hit the big 5 or 60, or whenever the whimsy strikes you, and if you want to have a good laugh, treat yourself to living large, even in this small way. The years drop away and laughter quickly shifts brightens your mood.  Each time you look at the picture, you will be reminded of the fun of “living large.”

If you’ve had a caricature done, do share what you got out of the experience.