Journaling - The Write Stuff For You?

I wrote my first poem when I was 5 years old. It was a fascinating discovery to see how 26 letters could be arranged into a seemingly endless variety of words, describing my world around me and what was going on.

It wasn't until I got out of high school that I discovered my father had been keeping a journal since his junior high school years. He even made a special wooden box to hold his paper and pens. He chronicled many moves, a mother's death at his young age, and his time serving in the US Navy during WW II on the USS Enterprise. He also kept detailed daily postings of weather on the header of each page of his books, and the goings-on of his marriage and growing family. He kept track of his kids as we ventured off and started our own lives, and told of the heartbreak of my mother's dementia and her long-tenured journey of Silence. I had always hoped to receive his journals after he passed, but it was not to be.

So, I guess my journaling came generationally to me. Over the years it was natural to pick up pen and paper, recording what was going on in my heart/head/world/life. My poetry and observations on life are in a separate book, or books as it may be. My journals where my soul gets poured out, are in their own. I have written about heartache and heartbreak, job insecurity, and the everyday things that everybody goes through. I have written my way through natural disasters, cross country trips and camping, illnesses and the discovery of who I think I might be. I write in longhand mostly or print. I choose not to use a computer because then it is so easy to hit the delete key and erase what you're truly saying! Besides that, I took some handwriting courses so I can look back at old entries and see what my thoughts really were and where my head really was at. Very enlightening!

I am looking forward to hearing from others.
Ginger

Ginger: You're post made me smile. I never really thought about my rhymes as journaling? I got started at 65 to come up with something "no one knew I did". I'm such an open "mouth" book, I didn't have any secrets. ;o) In the 12 years that followed, I wrote about the neighbors garage sale, 2 small bears on a walk with their mom, how much I dislike traveling, road kill stew, and etc. etc.
The list would go on for about 300 silly rhymes. I published some, so when I'm gone, my kids will be rich. Many poets don't become famous until they pass. :o) I would tell anyone that journals or writes anything, put it somewhere safe. Your family may not show much interest right now but "some day" one of them will wonder: "What ever happened to that pile of (?) writings? oldbuck

@1oldbuck Indeed, your rhymes can be a form of journaling! I found the two blank books I filled with poetry over 50 years ago, all done long-hand. Yep, everyone is dated. It was an interesting afternoon, rediscovering them. A favorite teacher in high school, and my dad, both encouraged me in the written description of things. About10 or so years ago I came across an author named Ivan Doig whose turn of the word made me say, "When I grow up, I want to write like him."

Have you thought of sharing your rhymes with your children and family now, before you pass?
Ginger

@gingerw Art Journaling - I happen to run across this topic of art journaling for beginners that I found on YouTube and some groups on Facebook. It looked interesting and it reminded me of collage which I did enjoy. I had about half of the suggested art supplies and ordered the rest in an attempt to try this type of journaling. I didn't know how to share these links so I'm sharing where one can possibly locate it on this thread.

I kept a diary growing up and even some in college. I would try to write everyday or every other day. It became taxing after a while to document my life. When I started battling depression and anxiety more, I would write to release tension, stress, and just vent. I would write it down, but never use a computer due to hackers getting personal information that might be used against me. Now I will write if something big happens that I can look back on in the future or to process thoughts floating around in my head.

The most important idea about journaling is simply begin without judgement. Set a time limit or a page limit. Write for 10 minutes whatever comes into your head. Write until you have filled one page. Everyone has hundreds if not thousands of ideas in his or her brain. Pick one and find out what you think and what you have to say about it.