Saturday, November 30, 2013

Celebrate!


I thank Ruth Ayres for hosting the Saturday Celebrations on Discover. Play. Build.

This week, I published my first blog post in over a year.  I took a break - a really long break.  I didn't realize just what writing meant to me or how much I need it.  It feels so good to return to this space with a new direction, a new purpose and new inspiration.

I started writing 5 years ago while working through Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way in an effort to find my creative voice.  As part of the "unblocking," Cameron encourages developing rituals as predictable structures that enable one to find inspiration and the space to be creative.  One of these rituals is the use of "daily pages," a daily practice of filling 3 pages with writing as a means to declutter and clear the way for creativity.  I started the practice, thinking that these rituals would help me uncover a some underlying creative talent.  Painting?  Photography?  Sewing?  Knitting?  Boy, I tried them all.  Each day, I wrote, believing that this ritual would guide me to my true creative calling.  

It never occurred to me that the writing was the creative outlet I had been seeking.  It was both the process and the product.    

My life has changed drastically over these past 5 years since starting those daily pages.  I have a new career as a teacher.  I am a graduate student working to earn my M.A. in Literacy Curriculum and Instruction.  My daughters have grown into incredible 'tweens.  But one thing has remained, my love of writing and the feeling of freedom it gives me to put the words down.   

I now see writing not only as my creative outlet, but also as the best way to support my students and my daughters as writers.  As I find my own voice as a writer, I better understand their struggles to find their voices, to work through the process, to get the words down on the page.  Returning to this blog space with a renewed purpose and enthusiasm is definitely cause for celebration! 


3 comments:

  1. Sarah-Welcome to Celebration Saturday! I admire your commitment to write three pages every day- that definitely takes some time! And I'm so glad to stumble across the blog of another Colorado teacher! I'm bookmarking your page and will keep checking back!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarah, welcome back to blogging! Your post today is definitely a reason to celebrate! Writing is a creative outlet for me as well; it feeds my soul!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think blogging is a great way to connect reading writing and thinking and celebrations is a great way to connect all of that. Glad you are back on the blogging scene.

    ReplyDelete