one of the best things that's happened to me in . . .

i got this letter this morning from an old friend. i don't think s/he would object to my sharing it since i'll do so anonymously. i have removed couple of things as an extra safe guard but . . .

"Dear Cassie:

I am so happy to have crossed paths with you again! Interesting how it coincides with my starting another go-round with "The Artist's Way" course. Writing a thank you letter to someone who encouraged me is today's assignment. So there you are.

When you first gave me "The Artist's Way" back in--what '96? '97? I READ it cover-to-cover, but I didn't DO it until 2003. I suspect I was afraid to be held accountable for whatever I'd learn about myself.

As you know, I'm sure, the course changed me in a bunch of subtle ways AND in a few very profound ways. I look forward to the conversations and visits it will take to catch you up on all of that.

At any rate, since then, I have given copies of "The Artist's Way" to several folks--paying it forward, as it were. Most recently, I gave a copy to XXX, which is why I am going through the course again. So far, going through it with someone else is shaping up to be a very different, very intense, very cool experience.

And it is all your fault. How nifty! I will be forever grateful to you for constantly reminding me to look at the world from as many different angles as possible. I'm especially thankful that you thought I could even do it. Certainly none of our other co-workers thought I was anything but a right-wing conservative bitch. I appreciate that you considered it a challenge to poke at that and see what else I was made of, see if you could find any potential there.

Maybe you didn't know that I found that to be so terrific. Often, I bet, you just enjoyed getting a reaction out of me. Well, I almost always enjoyed it, too. I could use more of that in my life, for sure.

Know, too, that I would never have gone back to college without you. Seems silly now, but your help with my admission essay to Lesley was invaluable. Besides your great writing and editing skills, your assumption that I was capable of even being a college student again got me out of my own ridiculous way.

Know that you have gained good karma; stored up some treasure in heaven by me. Thank you!

Peace, "

so yeah, that's - - this morning was pretty upsetting for a number of reasons and then poof! there was this.