covering me

One of my closest friends has a gift for listening, ruminating, making a fair assessment then gently sharing her view of whatever I have called to discuss. Over the years, I have repeatedly suggested that she quit her job, hang up a shingle and become a psychologist with me as the first of many clients (I’m not the only one who rings her to recline on her couch). I was preparing some notes for a workshop on journaling as it relates to the healing process and found myself typing that I sometimes use the journal as my personal shrink.

It’s true. Since the mid 90’s, blank pages in spiral bound notebooks have listened to my victory and defeat, sorrow and exhilaration, random and constructive thoughts. There have been quiet periods; no written record of what was going on in my life found its way to the archives. When I was exposed to imagistic journaling, I switched from just scribing to a combination of words and visual images, which is one of the things I also like about a blog. One of my students asked me about electronic journaling. The one thing I can say about typography is I can always make out what was rambling around in my head. Trying to keep a pen in sync with the fascinating rhythms singing in my brain has on many occasions left me staring at scribble that takes hours to decipher if ever. Deciding on a picture(s) to coalesce with my stream of consciousness presents me with a challenge that satiates my creative being...I relish posting each Sunday and Wednesday. That said I prefer the tactile feel of each tool used to document intimacies that frankly I don’t wish for the voyeuristic among us to read, cut, paste and forward. A clean white page with no horizontal intrusions to confine me gives my thoughts permission to roam, fall off the perimeters, cross the borders; before me is a chance to have a personal dialogue with my heart, soul and spirit, a deeply rooted conversation of language and vision that covers me.

My friend hinted that she just may consider a career shift. She has really helped so many find their way back to sanity, why not get paid for it I say. However, if I have learned anything from her it's that people move in their own space and time, you have to be patient and…




keep your peepers open! ®