Journals

I love my Journals and believe they have kept me sane. I received my first one when I was 8 years old. However, I didn't really get into journaling until I was a 6th grader headed off to Outdoor Ed. It was my first time away from home without any close friends for an extended time. The week previous to Outdoor ED, I had been sick and stayed at home, it was also the week I received my first pair of glasses.

In anycase, that's when I discovered all of what a journal could be: a friend and a place where I could order all of my thoughts. It was also a placed where I shared my experiences; experiences of a girl from the age of 11.5 years old to 19 years. Honestly, sometimes I would read what I wrote the day before and shake my head in laughter at the things I had written. I'm sure that someday these journals could share the thoughts and experiences of a teenager from the years 1999–2011. From a girl going from elementary school, to junior high school, then high school itself, and finally to college. It amazes me that it has only been a decade and so much has changed. Both in myself and in growing up as well as the world. I remember before the time technology became such a part of our lives, a 24/7 part of our lives. I remember the United States presidential election in 2000, then the 2008 election. I remember when 9/11 changed our lives. And currently I know of the Facebook/Twitter revolutions. Remembering all this and having much of it written down kinda scares me. I mean if all of this happened within a decade... what could happen in the next decade? and in the one after that?

I suppose I'd just make the best of it. I'd probably write it down in my journal.

Because of these many years of journaling, especially during the time when my mind was becoming wired, I seem to be able to only make sense of the thoughts churning in my head once I write them down. It's very hard for me to capture a thought and follow it to its end without writing it down as I do so. The writing actually captures the thought. In fact, I've been able to use that for much of my blogging. Often I have a vague idea of what I wish to write on, but it's only once its written that I've finally figured it out.

Journals can become anything you want them to. I don't write to a certain individual, in truth I just have a vague idea of an audience; a reader, I suppose, weither that reader is me, my future generations, or total strangers. I believe journals are written for self and for future. As previously mentioned, journaling organizes thoughts, but it also helps you become aware of yourself. How your inner thoughts actually work. Once that is discovered you realize what you need to change to become better. I mean, if what I had written sounded complaining, I realized that I was actually complaining. There's the proof in my journals written in my handwriting. But at the same time, it caused you to help you realize your self worth. Journals also helped me with neatening my handwriting. It was terrible and probably would have stayed terrible if not for the years of writing, and now? I have pretty great handwriting. It's now a talent. A journal also helps to discover what actions I should have done rather than what I had done. It has also helped with the keeping of memories and feelings of a certain time in my life. Journals can help you realize your goals, whether realizing that you have something as a goal or actually accomplishing it. Writing helps you with both.

I'm sure you know the many ways it could help those in later years, but just to remind you they can help educate another generation. They can tell the future what the past was like. They can show that there are many of the same struggles now as in the past, especially socially. They can teach principles. Journals can teach about life. That's something to recognize and value.

The reason for this post? Today, I started my 13th journal (not including an online one I plan to have published and sent to me when I have the money set aside). My 13th journal within 12 years. I'd like to say that's impressive. Especially considering the fact that my first several journals took more than one year to complete. Now, journals only take a few months. The one I've just finished was started Sunday, September 19, 2010. That's only 5 months. It's a great feeling to finish a journal. It's a great feeling to start a journal. I love the blank pages. To me they represent a future. A future that I'll record. A future that I could make anything happen, where anything could happen. I just love life. :D

(My 13 Journals)