Journaling

Wanted to share an update on my journal. I'm still journaling my random and sometimes more personal thoughts and love it when I do. It's so much nicer journaling thoughts and ideas rather than "went to the store, ate some lunch, cleaned the house, my life is so boring" kinds of things. Sometimes there is a bit of traveloging, but only if there is a purpose behind it.

I've been reading A Two-Part Invention by Madeleine L'Engle right now, which makes me want to journal even more often. It's the story of her marriage to her husband, Hugh Franklin, and a beautiful story at that. Much of the story is refreshed through her journals, and she shares direct quotes from it. Things like this, that she wrote while they were apart for a few weeks in separate plays:

"But the wonderful thing, whether we are together or apart, is to know that he is in the world, and that we belong together."

Loved that, especially since my husband travels off and on.

Something else from the book, after she shares a few simple stories:

"As I recorded such small events in my journal I was, in effect, writing my own story."

So maybe that means I should write more stories down... I'll think about it. Frankly, anything is an improvement over nothing, and the fact that I'm still going at it means that I'm doing something right.

I was talking about journal writing with someone one day and mentioned that I write in pencil. She reprimanded me for that, and told me from personal experience that pen is always best. So I found a pen that I like and I guess whoever picks up my journal someday will have to see my scribbling out.

It's different writing by hand than it is typing things up. I like the quick and easy editing factor of typing, and that it's faster all around (for me). But maybe that's why writing is different - more thought because editing is harder and because the process is slower.

Journaling is nice too, because I don't stew (as much) over what I wrote after I close my journal. I edit and reedit when I'm blogging, finally click "publish," and about an hour later, think of all kinds of things I should have included in the post. Just for fun, anything I come up with to add to this I'll add to the comments. But just watch - then it won't happen.