A few months ago, an old friend requested some information about our time together in the Canary Islands. To find the information she requested, I had to go through several cartons of childhood pictures, trophies, yearbooks, scrapbooks, and journals. One of the five journals I found contained the info she was looking for. Upon cleaning up this historic mess I decided to keep a few of these journals accessible for future review when I had some extra time. It had been 15+ years since I had read this history.
One Sunday evening, a month or so later, I finally got around to opening my 1997-1998 journal (Junior and Senior Years of High School). I was shocked; shocked on all that I had forgotten. I was reminded of who I was, who others were, what they meant to me, and how far I had come. I was able to see personal life patterns that have continued over the years. Memories that had been truth were corrected and revised. Other memories that had died with time were resurrected.
I was reliving portions of my past in a very real way. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience and something that money could not buy. I am so glad that I had the discipline to record these thoughts, experiences, and impressions of my youth.
I have kept a journal since 1997. The regularity of these entries has ranged from weekly to monthly. Since having this blast from the past my entry frequency has increased. I find myself recording my life with more detail than I have in years. It has also caused me to be much more aware of my current circumstances and not wanting to lose it to time. I do not want to forget a great conversation with one of my children, a fun Saturday as a family, or a challenging moment that caused me to stretch and grow. I now see my life more like a story; a story that I want to read and reference again in the future.
Life is a journey and we only get one chance at it. To capture who we were is a powerful tool to measure who we are today. To observe our fulfillment, peace, and happiness at various landmarks in our lives provides answers to what we may be missing in our current circumstances. Our life experience molds us into who we are. Remembering it more clearly will help the mold to set more firmly and solidify us for our future. As the old saying goes: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the next best time is now”. Start a journal today and I promise it will be a very rewarding experience. Opening a Google Docs page and titling it “Journal 2018” is a great place to start. Good luck!
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