An Invitation
A perk of no longer being in education is the energy I used to pour into my kiddos has been redirected into other avenues of personal fulfillment. Don’t get me wrong—I really loved teaching, I loved 8th graders (crazy- I know!), and I really, really miss them.
However, along the way, I ended up pushing aside some essential aspects of myself—such as my writing. At UT, I earned my BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. My roommate gave me a blue three-ring binder she’d decorated in paint-pen-lettering: Karen’s Creations, so that I’d have a place to put all of my poems, stories, and other writings. I still have it today, and yes, it houses some of my most cherished pieces. (Thank you, Ash!!) Some folks have been able to be teachers and writers simultaneously—Steven King and Peter Robinson are great examples. Others, like myself, can’t seem to juggle both plates at once.
Now that I have more time on my hands, I have begun to return to my writing. I’ve piddled around with bits of it this year but nothing sustained and certainly nothing substantial. However, I recently completed a writing retreat headlined by Anne Lamott, which rekindled my focus.
One of the instructors was Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, a guide for unlocking and/or recovering one’s creative skills and talents. I remember when it came out in 1992. I was working at B. Dalton Bookseller in West Town Mall, and we had the book displayed on an endcap at the back of the store. Every time I passed by, I would look longingly at the book—sometimes stopping to thumb through bits. I couldn’t afford to buy it. I had just started my teaching career, and money was tight. Had it been shelved in with writing guides rather than self-help, I might’ve splurged.
Fast forward to this fall. After the writing retreat, a bunch of us participants banded together to create our own cohort to complete The Artist’s Way, and I now have my copy —the 30th Anniversary Edition! We’re moving through the course via Facebook, holding each other accountable, sharing our successes and our struggles, while lifting up our creative voices and celebrating long-forgotten bits of brilliance. Sometimes it’s difficult to manage the tasks as real life takes over. When Little Guy received his terminal diagnosis, I put everything on hold not knowing when we’d be saying goodbye. But there’s comfort in routine, and I’m back on track with my cohort. We’ve a little bit more to work through before we complete the course, but I can tell you right now that it’s been very helpful in getting me back in touch with my creativity, whether it’s writing, music, photography, or other artistic endeavors.
My experience got me thinking. Maybe there are some of you who would like to travel the same journey as I have through The Artist’s Way. And to that end, in January K’s Beach Reads will begin a cohort of our own. It’s free. It’s low-key. It’s on FB—so anyone anywhere can be part of the journey. Sign up here. We hope you’ll join us.