Re-Energize Your Journal
Some write journals and diaries for the therapeutic value of it.
Admittedly, there is value in this exercise, but I have always
written a journal with a sense of historical perspective. When I
write, I envision my children, grandchildren and their children
reading about me and the era in which I lived.
I highly encourage you to expand what you may currently be
doing with your journal. As journal-keepers aren't we always
looking for something more to write about? What you write today
may be the only record of your current families' existence.
Think about it!
Write What You Think and Believe
You're likely familiar with the saying, "Don't discuss religion
or politics with others." That might be a good idea but not when
you are talking about your journal. You wouldn't shy away from
discussing such matters to your children today so why hold back
your hard-earned wisdom, opinions and knowledge from your
family's future generations? This is your chance to be, perhaps,
more honest about what you believe in than you ever have. Don't
miss your chance!
Write About and For Your Children Your journal can
easily become very self-centered. That's not bad, but don't miss
the opportunity to keep a record of your children as they grow
up. Include important dates like "first tooth " and "first
step". Write about their teenage and adult years from your
perspective.
Your children will appreciate reading about themselves once they
reach adulthood. Encouraging your children to keep a journal is
highly recommended but nothing can substitute for your view on
their early lives.
Write About the World Around You
Given a choice, would you prefer to read about history as lived
by your great-grandparent or from a stale encyclopedia? Instead
of reading a bland page or two about The Great Depression, an
old family journal would reveal the struggles that your family
went through and include how they survived and coped.
Instead of generically learning of the invention of the
automobile from a textbook, you could perhaps relive the thrill
your relatives experienced as they took their first ride. All of
this is possible when historical happenings are included in
journals.
If you are one of those who believes that "Well, yes the
invention of the car was exciting but what have I to write today
that can compare to that?" Here are some things that I believe
will be of huge interest to future generations. If you agree,
write about them.
- Write about your first computer
- What was your early impression of the Internet?
- What was your first purchase online?
-Write about the first time that you saw the space shuttle
blastoff.
- Man walking on the moon
If you really think about it, you could make a huge list of
historical happenings and tell of your thoughts and how they
affected the family.
For those days when you can't think of what to write or if you
just want something different to write about, print out the news
headlines from your favorite web portal such as Yahoo or
CNN.com. Jot down your "take" on the day's happenings.
It doesn't matter whether the news is about international
things or Hollywood. If a particular news story doesn't interest
you, simply write, "this doesn't interest me", then go on to the
next headline. Even a no comment tells something about you.
If you use journal software or a word processor to write your
journal, copy and paste parts of articles and news into your
journal entry and write about your opinion of it.
A headline about war may mean that a brother, sister or cousin
may be heading for the war front! Or, the article you include
may be a local light-hearted article about your winning entry at
the county fair.
Name Drop
Like most, you associate this with someone who likes to show off
or brag, but "name dropping" in your journal is very important.
The type of name-dropping that I refer to here is that of
extended family members. Do not forget to mention brothers,
sisters, aunts, uncles, parents and grandparents etc. especially
as they interact with you.
For example, "Today I spoke on the phone with my brother". Maybe
mention a little about what you spoke of and don't forget to
occasionally mention his wife and kids and a little bit about
them. His son/daughter is your nephew/niece and what you write
today may be the only bit of information that his descendants
may know of him.
Maybe you think that this is a little overboard but, to be sure,
hundreds of indirectly related relatives will someday be
thankful to you.
Family Stories and Traditions
Are there any enjoyable family stories and traditions that you
wish to perpetuate and have carried on? Of course there are! So
don't forget to include all of those stories in your journal.
The treasured family stories that you grew up hearing just might
be told for hundreds and hundreds of years to come, but only if
you act now to preserve them.
Get with other family members so that they can help you recall
those that you don't remember.
A journal writer's work is never done. There is always
something else to write and endless stories to tell.