I’m teaching visual journaling to my 4
th and 5
th
grade art majors. In doing so, I’m
completing my own journal page. We
can choose one of two prompts:
“All About Me!” or “Who Am I?”
My choice is “Who Am I?” In
the midst of my ongoing transformation, I ask myself this question often. Sallie B. is transforming into using
the “Nurtured Heat Approach” pioneered by Howard Glasser. While I’m not privy to being trained as
a “heart nurturing” educator, I am part of “The Penland Experience.” Much of what co-workers who have been
“officially” trained in the “Nurtured Heart Approach” report experiencing, I’ve
experienced at Penland. Both are
vehicles to discovering the self “greatness” that we all possess. One approach is geared for parenting,
teaching and therapy, and the other for the creative process. God reaches out to us in many ways, and
my first hand knowledge of acknowledging my greatness comes from the
transformation of what I create with my hands.
So, “Who Am I?”
I often wonder being 125 pounds over weight. I feel that I’m lost, that I’m buried deep inside
myself. I long to be the “me” on
the outside that I feel I am on the inside. The pain and burden of excess weighs me down, and prevents
me from flying. I worked hard and
was so excited about getting gastric bypass while we were out of school for
three weeks during Winter Break.
It didn’t happen, and I’m still faithfully waiting. I completed my last consultation last
week, so hopefully soon it will be my turn for a second chance at “health.”
