Sherry Scott's Blog

One of my most treasured childhood memories, enshrined in the olfactory bulb, was the aroma of a newly opened can of Playdough. The smell was the same in every can, though I was very cognizant of the colored top I was reaching for. Though it was rarely found in my home (I'm guessing as a result of frequently leaving the lid off that resulted in a hardened unpliable mess necessitating a new batch), it was a reliable item in the Sunday School classroom and Kindergarten supply closet. It was wonderful in every sense.
From this endearing memory, I have titled the work that is often required when writing poetry, or any other writing endeavor. But for me, the molding and pliablility of sculpting the words into rhythm, meter and form that is as pleasant to the poet as to the reader, is filled with the wonder reminiscent of shared play between two.
It is to this end, I will strive to share a poem weekly, under my pen name S.L. Margaret.
The first entry in Word Dough, entitled Closeted, is the current circumstance we collectively find ourselves in as the pandemic rages. We are isolated and feel unseen, though upon our daily awakening when we feel the burden of facing a new day, I believe it is the collective groan and shared grief of many we are experiencing.


Closeted

We are unseen
like our former selves escaping high school corridors
rushing to our closets of safety- matching tops to skirts
layering dresses with boots
so that we, even we, could be the Lauren Hutton’s
of fashion if given the opportunity-
cheek bones blushed/ black lights strobing
our birthday parties of laughter and frozen bras

Now we thumb through mailers
lacking interest in fingered store fronts
staring at the hanging frocks
and shells of winter white
knowing they will be closeted this season of
firs and lights

There is no cause excusing frivolity
but only to ourselves before we grow too old
to remember the sanctum of our imaginary lives
when passed unseen by the boy in the hall.

S.L. Margaret

Week 12: Recovering a Sense of Faith
Well we've made it to the end, but I strongly encourage anyone to read the epilogue, creative clusters guide,and the appendix:trail mix at the end of the book. "Creativity Requires Faith." Beautifully spoken and this is a beautiful chapter and book that Julia Cameron finishes with a challenge- "Reread this book. Share it with a friend...Trust God. Trust yourself."
I can truthfully say that immediately beginning the book again for the second time, did bring a different perspective and sealed its truths within me- some I still hold onto five years later.
This time I had to re-underline some things I had forgotten and underline some things I may have not taken in, the first time. I still continue to learn though, and Julia Cameron urges me gently on in my humble creative efforts and always applauds my dreams.
I leave you with my 'first' Artist's Prayer, written May 24, 2008

I ask you to unfold my life
Help me to seek You along the way
Help me to answer the question-
Do I want to be healed? Usher me forward
ever resolutely, tenaciously, but gently
like your grace
Help me to believe I'm not too late
Help me know I am not alone
I am loved. Help me to give back
what you put in me.

Good luck on your own journey,
Sherry Scott
Goodreads author

The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

Combining Week 10: Recovering a Sense of Self-Protection and Week 11: Recovering a Sense of Autonomy.

I believe these chapters compliment each other, and in fact, one leads into the other. Many distractions and dangers can potentially derail us from our creative goals and what passions we long to pursue. Its not always easy, but naming and facing them can help remove the block. My personal favorites mentioned were fame and competition.
In a recent trip to New York, it isn't hard to see why fame confuses the picture and has us longing for attention and credit rather than feeling good about something we've done or accomplished. Posters of the famous and the up-and-coming stars and faces (or bodies) of today are everywhere: from the subways, billboards, magazine stands, sides of buildings to the corner where I stand as Beyonce's face flashes by on the side of a bus. Fame and competition have some of the same in common, a compare and contrast game that leaves us feeling deflated and lacking. In her book,The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, Julia Cameron encourages us to stay true to ourselves-our own originality. "Let us concern ourselves first and foremost with what it is within us that is struggling to be born." Then we can begin to focus on the work and "creating what wants to be created", instead of worrying about the market or whatever else we tend to let determine our value. Naming what causes us to doubt ourselves leads us to reclaiming our autonomy-reclaiming our right to be an artist.
"The creator made us creative. Our creativity is our gift from God. Our use of it is our gift to God. Accepting this bargain is the beginning of true self-acceptance." A tall order for some of us, but if we are happier, more fulfilled when we are writing, painting, sculpting, etc., then we need to be about writing, painting, sculpting, etc.
We are nearing the end of our journey, our next chapter: Recovering a Sense of Faith, is the last one. I have been reminded again and again of truths I read in this book some five years ago that proved life-changing, and yet this time around I'm writing in the margins,"I have forgotten so much of this stuff." Thankfully, this book is not going anywhere and will be around for us to reference and draw encouragement from, for a long time.
Enjoy,
Sherry Scott
Goodreads Author

Week 9 : Recovering a Sense of Compassion

How are we "good to ourselves?" We talked about this among ourselves the last time our class met. It came easy for some, difficult for others. JuliaThe Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity probably said it best, love: "Use love for your artist to cure its fear." So, whats our fear? Fear is what blocks us. So,what are we afraid of? "The fear of not being good enough. The fear of not finishing. The fear of failure and of success. The fear of beginning at all."
This chapter picks up from where we left off last time- "the next thing." Giving ourselves permission to begin and take baby steps toward our creative goals is a way to love the artist within, to show compassion for the dreamer. If we dwell on the impossible, we become hard on ourselves and sometime give up or take "creative U-turns." We start to make small gains, we get excited and on the brink of breaking through we suddenly turn on our heels, thinking "what's the use?" Fear rears its head again.
There is a way out though. We've talked about loving ourselves already. But what about the artist within that Julia refers to as 'a creative child.'"It falls to you to convince your artist it is safe to come out and (work) play." We begin by listing our fears, resentments, more fears, what we stand to gain by not doing the work, THEN, we do the "next thing." We take those baby steps toward our creative dreams, and we allow our creative child to play, have fun.

Be good to yourself. Ask for help from a Creative Force, supportive friends. Show compassion.

Sherry Scott
Goodreads Author

Week 8: Recovering a Sense of Strength

I'll be brief, because this chapter is packed with tips and words of encouragement on how to tackle the enemy of time and its partner- fear.
We will all suffer losses as artists: the book doesn't sell, our poem is not selected, a jury doesn't take our painting- so,we have to learn the art of survival. The most important thing I took away was "the next thing." The next tiny, scary, baby step towards what it is we want to accomplish-'our artistic dream.' Instead of becoming paralyzed by the big picture: the novel, a screenplay, pursuing artistic painting as a career, we can take small steps in the right direction. "Small action lead us to the larger movements in our creative lives...Large changes occur in tiny increments."
We recover a sense of strength when we remove the fear of failure caused by focusing on the big , and instead begin doing the little things in our everyday world that bring us closer to where we wish to go.

Sherry ScottThe Year My Mother Died: A Memoir
Goodreads Author

Week 6: Recovering a Sense of Abundance
(and because 'this' author has fallen behind)
Week 7: Recovering a Sense of Connection

I've found that by going back through this book The Artist's Way, I have a greater appreciation for how the author lays a foundation for creative recovery and then builds upon it while gently taking us deeper into the heart of what if means to unearth our former selves and dreams. Each week truly begins to build upon the previous until we begin to believe 'we' are worth investing in and our creative ideas are worth listening to. Therefore, since I skipped last week's blog, I thought this would be an appropriate time to combine chapters rather than confess I was too distracted or lazy to complete my task punctually, and hopefully the above opening will pass as an explanation rather than excuse.

Week 6 goes beyond addressing the abundance or lack thereof of our money, which we seem to think holds the key to our art's discovery or success, and reminds us our wrong concepts about God and other 'luxuries' afforded us, may rob us of pursuing the things that bring us true joy. "We are operating out of the toxic old idea that God's will for us and our will for us are at opposite ends of the table...Thinking like this is grounded in the idea that God is a stern parent with very rigid ideas about what's appropriate for us." I can remember how mind-blowing this was for me, the first time I read it. And yet today, I still wrestle with this window of opportunity or "luxury of time" I've been given to pursue my writing. It is not always easy for us to strive for individual goals when the world we live in repeatedly tells us we should have 'something' to show for our time and results are usually measured in terms of money. "Art requires us to empower ourselves with choice... this means choosing to do self-care", which is a beautiful way to move into Week 7: Recovering a Sense of Connection.

In returning to this book, I don't know which continues to amaze me more: how 'spot-on', yet nurturing this author can be in helping one learn to appreciate the gift of self and commitment to caring for self's dreams, or the collective emotional growth of our group as we share our individual stories of healing. This chapter addresses creating right attitudes that are conducive for creativity- and its good, perhaps one of my favorite's- but it paled in comparison to one member of our group sharing her breakthrough. Through her commitment to the basic tools suggested by this author ( Morning Pages and Artist Dates ) and her persistence to keep reading and attending class though she fought fear every time she came, a nagging depression that had lingered for six months was shattered to pieces. The glow on her face substantially backed up her claim. The rest of us therefore, were willing to make the following phrase our mantra: "Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong", or at least write it down someplace, as suggested by the author.Thanks Julia!

We meet next week for: Recovering a Sense of Strength-Join us.

Sherry Scott
Goodreads authorThe Year My Mother Died: A Memoir

Week 5: Recovering a Sense of Possibility
What a way to start the new year, with possibility! Our group took a break through the holidays and we were anxious to get back to the Artist's Way.
The heart of this chapter has to do with our source, and when we tap into an infinite supply we are not limited in creative possibilities. We are the ones that set limits on how much we are given, how much God can help us out. I love the way Julia CameronThe Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity refutes this, I can almost hear her: "God has lots of money. God has lots of movie ideas, novel ideas, poems, songs, paintings, acting jobs. God has a supply of loves, friends, houses that are all available to us. By listening to the creator within, we are led to our right path."
One of the ways we were encouraged to explore possibility was an exercise in wishing. As fast as you can list 19-20 things you wish for...It was interesting hearing where people were in their journey, mirrored by what they wished for: a villa in Santa Fe, to be 20 again, rediscover passion and commitment in my work, go to Europe, not be afraid,to be 50 again, etc.
Though we all had different goals and dreams, obtainable or not, one thing we all agreed on was it took something outside ourselves to reach for something more. Whether it came from the support of the group, our mentors, or from the hand of God Himself, we were individually better when we connected with the thread that holds all of humanity together.

Happy New Beginnings and a renewed sense of Possibility throughout this year.
Sherry Scott
Goodreads Author

Week 4: Recovering a Sense of Integrity.
I decided to go with the title and wait until after Christmas celebrations were done, before sharing 'revelations' from chapter four. Our group had a lively exchange, lots of laughs and a few tears the last time we met. But, there was one exercise I wanted to share that seemed very timely for the holiday season.
We were asked by author Julia CameronThe Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity to write a letter to our present self from our eighty-year-old self and another from our eight-year-old self. Interestingly enough, most chose to write from an eighty-year-old perspective, a few from the eight-year-old still within us. The common thread between the two seemed to be: live for now, no regrets, leave it all behind, believe in yourself and live the life you want.
A particularly favorite of mine, shared by an artist in the group, was remembering the dare-devil, the risk taker he was as a child. He wanted to apply that not only to his art, but his life: to reach beyond his own capabilities and not be afraid of failing or falling.
Remember when many of us were too young, too adventuresome, too curious to worry over things like failure, what other people thought, and if it was good enough? May that spirit of childhood belief in ourselves and in each other continue throughout this blessed season and into the coming New year!

Blessings and Peace
Sherry Scott
Goodreads author

Week 3: Recovering a Sense of Power.

Our little group, reading through The Artist's Way, meets every Thursday evening in a small town that is a 40 minute drive for me and my carpool buddy. Sadly, last week I knew both of us would not be able to make it: my riding partner, due to out-of-state travel for the holidays, me-conflicting kids' Christmas programs to attend. None of us could have known the very next morning would bring an abrupt end to Christmas programs and holiday plans for the children and their families in Newtown, Connecticut. I'm writing this blog in the shadow of a tragedy I have stopped trying to picture myself a part, since I cannot fathom the individual and collective grief suddenly forced upon so many.

I won't try and quote Julia Cameron as a source of comfort, but I was reminded of an important point of creativity recovery found in this chapter that has kept coming back to me time and again this week: synchronicity, "Loosely defined as a fortuitous intermeshing of events...the possibility of an intelligent and responsive universe, acting and reacting in our interests." The heart of this chapter takes on a child-like quality of faith and belief-believing in ourselves and our dreams, even overcoming shame that may have been inflicted on our earliest artistic endeavors. We find power in protecting ourselves-'our internal artist who is our creative child.'Protection, self-love and self-praise are the cornerstones that the author believes we must employ for our healing process.

I've experienced synchronicity often, now that I know what to look for, now that I pay attention. It's not magic, but I find it powerful and validating when I dream or envision an idea, then later see, hear or read something that assures me I'm on the right path. The more I pay attention, the more I notice it-"All sorts of things occur to help one that would otherwise never have occurred..." W.H. Murray.
I'm reminded of the 'faith of a child'; in fact, so many things around me, around all of us this time of year, things found in this chapter keep harking back to the child within us- the children.

During this difficult weekend, I found myself in the middle of a church choir singing a Christmas cantata that we had rehearsed many times the previous months. But last night, I sang the words for the first time in full realization that every chorus, stanza or song-title related back to the child element of this story-from the lullabies of angelic hosts to the invitation for children to 'come and see.'I found comfort in embracing those synchronous moments, I pray others did as well.

This Thursday evening we come together to discuss Week 4: Recovering a Sense of Integrity. There will be difficult weeks ahead for many and all of us who hold this loss of life in our hearts, may we look for those precious moments of hope and validation to share.
"The words that enlighten the soul are more precious than jewels." Hazrat Inayat Khan The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

Sherry Scott
Goodreads Author

Week 2: Recovering a Sense of Identity, and strange things are happening!
I was prepared for an active discussion from the group after reading chapter two, based on prior experience with identifying and protecting myself from 'poisonous playmates' and such. I was ready for a spirited dialogue addressing and naming the "crazymakers" in our lives. Julia Cameron's point is driven home time and again: if we want to recover and heal the artist within, we must protect it at all costs from those who would block us-"nurturing our creativity lies in nurturing ourselves." Instead, I got real-life, up-and-close testimonies from group members who had suddenly turned a corner and were doing just that-recovering a sense of identity.
My carpool partner from the previous week, whom I had repeatedly begged to give the book's sessions a try, whom had reacted more than a little dubious to his first class, was all bubbles and talk from the moment I picked him up until dropping him back off. "It's been a long time since I've felt giddy about something." The very person who shared with me how someone had crushed his dream of becoming an artist at an early age, was now gladly sharing his past week experiences of 'morning pages' and 'artist dates.' He was planning to celebrate Christmas for the first time in five years, and after forty years of smoking cigarettes, had put them down and was not feeling any discomfort from the decision. And the most interesting part of his sharing, centered around the fact that he now felt a sense of safety with a group of people he had known scarcely more than a week.
The other class-member however, drew the biggest laughs from her changing demeanor. This woman had grudgingly but faithfully employed one of the 'tools' labeled by the author as "nonnegotiable" through the first two weeks without any noticeable progress. But things had been changing internally that were now becoming noticed externally by others. Her co-workers began talking about her glow, the difference in her dress at work, even her new 'bling' pair of earrings. They started demanding to know the name of the new man in her life! What else could account for the new bounce and liveliness within the confines of her same job, they reasoned. They even went so far as to name the mystery man, George.
Recovering a sense of identity through nurturing ourselves and paying attention to the here-and-now, was exactly what was happening, and we have just begun.
We now wade into Week 3: Recovering a Sense of Power, and I say wade because we are going deeper. I look forward to re-reading this chapter (one of my personal favorites) and witnessing our shared sense of recovery. I leave you with one of Julia's Rules Of The Road:
Show up at the page. Use the page to rest, to dream, to try.
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

Sherry Scott
Goodreads Author