Finished!

I FINALLY finished another journal!

I know that this is slightly pathetic, but I'm quite excited. It has been a long time, since this has happened. It has taken me almost three years to get through this journal, and notice it is quite small. But I finished it tonight. Happy day! Now, this may seem like not that big of a deal, but I began writing in this journal in October of 2007. Which, may not seem like that long, but consider this...

I went through this many journals in about the same amount of time. It took me four years to go through all of these journals. There is such a thrill in finishing the last page in a journal. It means you get to open a new journal, and fill its pages. Which I know is corny, but it's completely invigorating to complete an entire book with your writing.

Writing in my journal used to be part of my daily routine, and something that I loved, something that I thrived on. I just LOVED it. It was my release from the day, a place to dump everything, both good and bad. Even still I love to pull these journals out to read from and see where I've been. There are so many things that I have forgotten about. It's fun to see what I worried about, things that made me happy, things that made me frustrated, things I loved, and life in general.

When I was writing everyday, I was often asked how I could do it everyday and what was there to possibly write that much about. To which I never knew how to respond. But then I realized, my journal wasn't just a log of my daily experiences. Rarely did it touch on what I did I all day. It was a place to express thoughts, to vent, to work through problems, to tell a funny story, or to share excitement. It truly was like a friend to me. It was a place that was always there, willing to listen to whatever I had to say, was completely non-judgmental, a place to be completely 100% honest with myself. In the process it helped me find answers to my problems, and ultimately it helped me find myself.

I miss that. I truly do. Even still when I pull my journal out to write, it's like pulling out a long lost friend. I need to get back in the habit of writing frequently. I'm not sure everyday is completely realistic, but it needs to happen far more often than it does.

In one of my classrooms last year this quote was on the wall, and I have loved it ever since:

"Knowledge carefully recorded is knowledge available in time of need. Spiritually sensitive information should be kept in a sacred place that communicates to the Lord how you treasure it. This practice enhances the likelihood of your receiving further light."

-Elder Richard G. Scott

This is how I feel about my journals, it is a strength in time of need, and it shows our Heavenly Father that I treasure the experiences and lessons I have been given in this life.