As I helped my daughter sort through her “special box”, I noticed there was a fancy journal she had started but decided not to continue because she had messed up a page and thought it was too ugly to keep.
I tried to convince her that diaries didn’t have to be neat. In fact, sometimes the messy writing, scribbled diagrams, or tear stains are part of their charm. She didn’t believe me, so I went to my cedar chest and dug out my box of old journals. My children gathered around as I lifted these treasures out one by one. I carefully opened the pages and showed them what my printing (starting at age 7), then cursive, looked like. I pointed out mistakes and misspelled words. They were enthralled and convinced that perfection is not the point of keeping a personal record.
What is the point of keeping a journal? To remember special moments, learn from past mistakes, relate to youngsters, and resolve family disputes. But most of all, to leave a record of your life so your children and grandchildren can know you.
When email came on the scene, I noticed my journal entries decreased. Instead of spending a half hour on Sunday afternoons to write, I found myself typing emails to my family and friends instead. But then I got smart and printed off these emails to put in a binder journal.
Then came Facebook. I recently realized that precious information about who I am in 2012 while my children are young is being sent into cyber-wherever-ness instead of being preserved in something tangible.
So I bought a pretty spiral notebook and began to copy my status updates into it. I add extra personal information as needed – et voila! – I’ve got another valuable record that I can read, remember, and share with future generations.
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