Journal Writing Can Benefit You and the Future

One of my more recent reading thrills has to be a journal my grandmother kept during her last 18 years. She passed away in 1999, but going over her handwritten stories and thoughts did let me reconnect with her. It felt like she was still in the room with me. She also left a lot of the recipes of our favorite dishes she prepared. This was a wonderful gift she left for us and I encourage all to leave a little something like that for their descendents. My child never got to meet his great-grandmother, but he can still be influenced by her when he reads this journal. Your written words can reach and touch times beyond your own.

Another solid benefit you can obtain by keeping a journal is the personal reference book that it can serve. Awhile back, my wife and I were debating what day this certain event had taken place. The first place I went to look was my journal and sure enough the day and the event were both recorded. I have been able to go back several years with the journals I've kept in order to see when something happened, and better yet, just to soak in the memories. Also, it has been fun to watch how my writing and my thinking have developed and improved over time.

As for rules you need to follow in writing a journal, the best thing to do is not have too many, if you even need to have one. There is no set amount of time you have to write and you can choose how often you log something in. Also, you get to choose what you put down in it, whether or not you are addressing an audience or simply yourself, and whether you want the journal in a book, on tape, or on the computer. A simple thing to remember is to be completely honest with yourself as you record. You may be able to vent off frustrations or think through problems as you write. Those are added benefits yet. However, if you are limiting who can read your recordings, do consider the storage area you will be keeping your journal in.

People in history have kept wonderful journals portraying their adventures. Various scholars have talked about the outstanding journals that Lewis and Clark kept on the Corp of Discovery and how they are still used by researchers today. These journals are great resources because they are written by the individuals who actually experienced the event, not some professor who just wants to write a book. So even though Lewis and Clark have been gone for almost two hundred years, they are still teaching people today through their writings. Journal writing is truly an excellent way to touch the future and preserve the knowledge of the past. And it can be a fun way to enjoy the present and improve yourself as you do it. So again, do it for yourself, your children, your grandchildren, and even beyond.