Junior High

"If I were to give you a homework assignment."

Black Eyed Susan's office is comfortable and inviting. The abstract fish hanging over the deep plush couch, the lush green palm blocking the window and the ever changing banzai trees. This week an upright Japanese Maple with gaping scar down the trunk. Fitting for an office where we mortals with psychological wounds come to be healed.

My back stiffened and I looked into Susan's eyes, they're not really black. Long repressed memories of little desks, tedious lectures and clocks with frozen hands tried to crack the rapport I have with my therapist. Those two words "homework assignment".

"You don't want to do that!" I thought it. I didn't say it. We kept talking about my writing, about how difficult it is for me to write about me. My life and my emotions. My breathing slowed and I relaxed. Years of bad teaching and dense classmates no longer rule my attitude toward learning. Suzi gave me the assignment.

"Put yourself into your writing. I would like to read where you are, what you are doing and how it makes you feel."

So here I am trying to put it all down. Still having trouble writing with the sense of immediacy and intimacy that I find appealing other writers blogs. I plan to work on that by writing about my garden, my job, my relationship with the wife and kid. And my other hobbies. All with an emphasis on being true to myself.

BES's deep plush couch is one of the most awkward pieces of furniture I ever had to sit on....

OWL

April 21, 2007