J is for Journals: Remembering the Good Times

Always carry a notebook. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea for ever.

~ Will Self

Back in January, I began the One Page a Day Challenge and immediately threw away my quill.  Now in April, I’m participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge and prepping for a Wilderness Writers’ Retreat.  I need ink, a stiff drink and therapy.

R

emember what I said yesterday about writing ideas down? 

Forgot already, didn’t you?

That’s okay.  Me too.  And I wrote the darn thing.

Another thing that I forget and I know a lot of other people do too, are the good things that happen.

Moments that almost escape our notice ~ like a hummingbird flying just beyond our blind spot.  For some reason, it’s always the nasty, hurtful events or phrases that we remember.

That’s why it is important to capture those magic moments ~ so on our blue days we can remind ourselves “that all who wander are not lost.”  And that too shall pass.

Also, it may help us to remember clichés to avoid.

J is for Journals and Journaling

When it comes to writing in my journal, I’m about average ~ I don’t write in it every day, but I do write in it about once a week.  I’m a mixed media journaler ~ I write by hand, I paste pictures, sayings, stickers, ticket stubs, and other memorabilia in my journal.  The memorabilia help give a frame to whatever I am going through that particular day, week, month, or year. 

In addition to my word of the year, which I have always written in my journal, I added book plates for each month, with a word, phrase, quote, or poem, that supports the word of the year. 

Perhaps April’s should be Remember, because I haven’t done it yet, although as per usual, I have copious ideas floating about in my easily distracted brain.

Journals don’t have to be in black and white

Image Credit: http://real-life-journals.blogspot.com/

Some people journal with drawings, paintings, or sketches.  These journals are works of art and a window into the artist's soul.  Every time I see one, I wish I could paint or draw something other than stick men.

But then I think, I need lines to write on; drawings requires a blank page ~ literally.

A couple of years ago, I discovered a book that talked about writers and their journals.  It was good to discover that I was not alone in my sporadic journaling ways.  You can read the post here:

Journaling to Woo the Muse

So write down all the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, the breathtaking.  You may need to reminded of it sooner than you think.

Oremus pro invicem,

~ Mikaela

Do you journal?  Why or why not?