Dear Friends,

Only a few years ago, in the midst of running Story Circles and encouraging my son through university, I yearned for the “Creative Life”.  Yes, of course my life was creative then, but I’m talking here of a Grade A Fantasy “CREATIVE LIFE”:  you know, hours in my comfy chair reading poetry and then writing poetry; uninterrupted hours to edit my latest chapter or article; wordless afternoons of painting. I never told any real artist of my fantasy because I had a suspicion that they might laugh at my vision.  Well, now I’m the one laughing!  Welcome to my computer-filled day and messy desk! 

Today had a clear calendar — a writing day.  Yes, I’m here in my study, writing (this blog post!)  Lunch smoothie is at hand (at 3:30 p.m.), and I’ve just transferred the second load of clothes to the dryer. My goal for today was/is to bring a little planning to my life online and write my New Moon post.  (Happy New Moon!  Remember, the New Moon is symbolically associated with starting a new project after the quiet rest of the Dark Moon.  What energy is arising now in your life?  What will you devote that energy toward?)

I’m devoting my energy to the three projects in flux at the moment:  1) getting “THE BOOK” ready for publication, 2) getting the second edition of my poetry collection “Open to Mystery” reprinted and available online, and 3) figuring out how to share my authentic voice online in my blog, on FaceBook, and on Instagram in a regular and sustainable way.

“THE BOOK”, as it’s called here in my household, has gone through a name change:  in response to an early morning inspiration it’s now titled WILDFLOWER SEEDS: the beauties of a reflective life.  The metaphor of wildflowers suits the practices of a reflective life so well:  simple beauty within our everyday life, but so often mowed down, stepped on, or peed upon.  But remember, even the widely hated dandelion carries the medicine that may heal us of the cancers caused by the toxins used to destroy it!  We need the wildflowers.

So there are a few revisions I’m in the midst of, and then, no small chore, trying to figure out how to make THE BOOK available for purchase, both e-book and print book.  Making my Poetry Chapbook available online was supposed to be the learning curve and trial run for THE BOOK — well, hours and hours and hours later, along with hours of help from not one, but two experienced self-published authors, and I’m still in the midst — it feels like the beginning — of that learning curve.

My so-called writing life last week consisted of struggling with the printer of the hand-bound copies of the chapbook.  The first printing was so totally messed up that they gave me back my money and started over.  That doesn’t sound too serious, except that every trip to the printer entailed a few hours, exhaustion, plus a day to rest up!  

And being online, authentically, is an ongoing background thrum of my days. I now collect ideas to share just as I collect the things I want to talk about with my friends when I see them. What at first seemed like a burden is beginning to feel like a blessing and, dare I say, fun! I’m still not in the rhythm of it: what best is a blog post?  What deserves a FB post?  What’s visual for Instagram?  (Gotta remember to photograph my paintings!!!)  But I’ll get there.

Thank you for reading.  Thank you, for joining me in this adventure of a reflective, creative life. We shall carry on!

With much love and many blessings,

Cat