Meet My Journal

A friend wondered about the picture on your right. Meet one of my favorite journals. It’s covered with roses with an ordinary pen laying on it. I used this picture because my blog is a written blog (as opposed to an art blog, or a photo blog). I’m conveying this in a visual way with my journal and pen picture.

I’m a writer. I have been journaling – or writing a diary – or writing things down much of my life. It pays off in many ways. For instance, the list in my last blog, Pet Tales, was jotted down when I had three very active children and little free time. I wish I’d written more back then. Little children grow so fast and our memories are fleeting. Unless we write down the surprising things they say, the significant events, and our inspired or mundane thoughts, they’re lost. Mothers of young children, take note.

There are many ways to journal and anyone can do it. It’s best to write in a notebook or journal so you can refer back to it. It’s best to write at least once a week. I do this now, but there have been years when I wrote for a few days or weeks and then no more. Don’t worry about the rules; do what works for you.

An easy way to get started with journaling is to make lists. This works well if you’re always on the run. One of the most useful lists I have is a list of all our vacations, family reunions and major events such as job changes and family funerals. All I record is the date, the event, who attended it and where it was. With a computer it’s easy to keep a running list. It can be updated at the end of the year before you throw out last year’s calendar. It’s been helpful in remembering what year things happened. I call my list "Days of Our Lives." (Is this still the name of a soap opera?) I’ll write more about journaling next time.

The front of my roses covered journal says, Do everything in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14  I wish I could. That’s a goal we can work toward.

Blessings, Dottie