These People

Years ago- 10 in fact- I got some random email by someone forming a group to read and talk through Julia Cameron's, The Artist Way, together. I have no idea how or why I was on that email list, because I didn't know the person who sent it, and the meeting spot was a church which I don't attend.
But I had the book on my bookshelf-- had had the book on my shelf for several years- but had never gotten past Chapter 1 on my own.

So I thought, "Why not?" and I showed up to the very first meeting.

And so did all these people.

Our Artist Way group- 10 years later!

Because of the nature of the book, we were all pretty vulnerable in exposing our true selves to each other as we worked through each chapter of that book. We had conversations that were much deeper and we got to know each other on a whole different level and speed than what was typical for me. Anyway, we made it through the whole book, chapter by chapter and week by week. I don't think I ever would have done it on my own.  But with these people, I wanted to stick with it.

I had recently lost my Mom.  March 29 of 2005. I have often thought 2005 was the worst and hardest year for me.

But it seems there were angels all around me.  Lots of good came from that year, too.  The best being simply that I just made it through that year.

And this group of people, all these people I didn't know, and wouldn't have met otherwise, become so important to me and I looked forward to those Monday night meetings. 

The book, The Artist's Way, and the exercises in it, help you get back in touch with the little artist in you that might have gotten shoved aside over the years.  I was really focused on my songwriting performance during this time period and I'm sure that being in this group nurtured that in me. And without Mom, believe me, I needed all the nurturing I could get!

Honestly, the book was okay. It got me on to some good practices for sure.  But it was these people that created the magic.  Some weeks I'd be a little "meh" about the chapter we had read, but once we discussed it, whether or not the book resonated with me, these people did, and I always left feeling I had learned something invaluable.

Although we've kept in touch over the years, the time between getting together has grown longer and longer.  But it still feels like a tight and important group and we sure love each other, and have no problem picking right back up where we left off the last time.

 Ahhh... these people!