the magic of my Morning Pages

In 2011, having just quit the last job with its (the quitting) inherent vow of poverty – Social Security – I bought a used copy of Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” on Ebay. It was cheap, and it changed my life.

The book’s something of a 12-week ‘course’, with two primary suggestions – take yourself on a weekly artist date; write three notebook “Morning Pages” every day. Ms. Cameron added the thought that you may want to keep on keeping on with those Pages, like, way past three months.

I wrote my first three pages early in June of 2011. I have not missed a day since. The writing has gone from something I said I’d do, to something I began to like doing, and – now and the last year or so – something I can’t wait to do. It’s opening a treasure chest, see what’s inside. Watch what comes tumbling out. Right there with the incredible cool, out from a place from which ideas rarely arrive.

I’m the host, the Pages are the guests. Or maybe, the Pages are the host, I’m the guest. Who cares. It’s a thrill every morning, pull open the in-progress notebook (wide-ruled) and open all the doors and windows of my creaky mind. No brakes allowed.