Dear Diary,

I’m always looking for ways to be more creative and when I learned about Shodo, or Japanese calligraphy, I knew I needed to take a class and experience the real thing instead of doodling on the calligraphy sets in Barnes and Noble. Shodo is not just about dipping a brush in ink and going wild on a piece of paper. Oh no, it's a whole spiritual journey.

So there I was, sitting cross-legged in the studio, feeling like a character straight out of a Haruki Murakami novel. The instructor, a serene-looking sensei, showed us the basics of holding the brush and controlling our breathing. I'm pretty sure I looked like a baby giraffe trying to walk for the first time, but hey, I was determined.

As I dipped my brush into the ink, I felt this wave of calm wash over me. It was like all my worries and anxieties just disappeared, leaving only me and the paper in front of me. I tried to write my name in Japanese characters, I attempted the few kanji I knew, and let's just say it resembled more of a Picasso painting than anything remotely legible. But you know what? I didn't care. Because in that moment, I was a calligraphy artist.

But here's the thing about failure – it's just an opportunity to laugh at yourself and try again. So, with renewed gusto and ink-stained hands, I tackled the next character. And you know what? It was marginally better! Like, it actually resembled something other than abstract art. Progress, people!

Sure, my Shodo skills might not be up to par with the masters, but that's not the point. The point is, I tried something new, I embraced a new language, and I had a blast doing it. And who knows, maybe one day I'll look back at my scribbles and laugh, but for now, they're my little pieces of Japanese art.

Xoxo, 

Maria