to : Me from: Me

by C.L. Phillips

We have this silly tradition in our home.  "To me from me" Christmas presents.  Takes the pressure out of trying to find that perfect gift for someone.  Just buy it yourself.  No questions asked.  No explanation required.  No gloating. We buy them the first week in December.  Don't ask why.  We don't tell.

This year my to me from me present is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.  What a great antidote to a crazy finish of Nanowrimo.  I'm loving the process of writing morning pages.  I'm lost in the nirvana of the first week, the excitement of a new journey. 

I know I'm not supposed to reread the morning pages, but I'm tempted.  Each day the words flow faster, as if they've been arranging themselves while I sleep, waiting for daylight.  While writing, I read the words slowly, etching them into my consciousness before they are lost.  I hope some of the images find their way into my fiction.

I'm not an introspective person.  My idea of therapy is watching Mrs. Doubtfire three times in a row.  Cures anything that ails a soul, I swear.  But this book, the Artist's Way gives me an opportunity to look at my writing in a new way.  It's giving me a jump start on my end of year planning.

So this post is a shameless, independent, uncompensated plug for The Artist's Way.  Whatever your way, your path, may you find it sprinkled with fairy dust and chocolate chip cookie crumbs, like my book.  May your December be filled with moments of ease, grace, fantastic parking karma at the mall, and give yourself a little to me from me present.  You deserve it.

So what's on your "to me from me" shopping list?

Keep writing!