The text accompanying Dr. Seuss’s dynamic concept drawing for Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, states that we will be ambitiously “soaring to high heights.” He pairs this sentiment with an image of his pajama-clad hero, flying through a vast Seussian landscape in a hot air balloon. Indeed he is soaring, but Dr. Seuss’s specific choice of images reveals one of the most fundamental lessons in life: He suggests that when “soaring to high heights” we must take risks, we must understand what is within our control and what is not…and be willing to surrender to the journey. Dr. Seuss places his boy at the edge of the drawing, waving out across a vast panoramic landscape. This gesture suggests a full embrace of his journey. The boy appears to have an understanding of the risks at hand, the range of control he possesses, and the underlying opportunity ahead. His smile and wave exude joy and the willingness to surrender to the unknown.
