Your Thoughts Belong in a Journal Not the Clothes Dryer

I keep my journal open on my desk.

I keep my journal open on my desk so I can jot down thoughts as they occur. This may seem scary to those of you who know me. For those of you who don't, my husband refers to my creative thought process as "the clothes dryer." Everything tends to tumble around in there non-stop. I try to capture ideas before they fly out the door, because when those thoughts are gone, they're like lost socks. Thank goodness I've kept my memories intact through 27 years of journal keeping.

You might be wondering what I journal about? Or maybe not, after that intro.

I'm sure my journals won't attract a big movie deal, or anything. Nor will they become a best-selling autobiography. However, there's a nice mix of history, politics, lifestyle, travel, job changes, business decisions, prayers, and answers to prayers that might interest a historian one day.

I can hear the collective groan. You're asking, why would I write about all that mundane stuff in my life? Believe it or not, pioneer women struggled with the same sort of issues that we do. Some things never change, like dealing with menfolk and seeking God's grace in our humanity.

I draw the line at learning that my spouse
 was hatched from an alien pod in the basement.

Still unconvinced? Perhaps you're worried that people will read your deepest darkest secrets. I admit, I used to cringe at the idea. However the older I get, the more I realize people have more in common than they think. Reading how someone worked through turbulent times helps others navigate those same treacherous waters.

For instance, my mother-in-law just turned 90 years old. Just think of all the turbulent changes she's gone through in her lifetime. I hope to find nuggets of wisdom in her journals. But then again, some things are better left unsaid. I draw the line at learning that my spouse was hatched from an alien pod left inside her basement.

I admit, it can be risky to write everything down. Recently, my 20-year old daughter happened upon my open journal and came to me in tears. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she never realized that I prayed for her every day. What type of legacy will you leave behind when you're gone? Hopefully, not a fleet of pods.

Do you remember what you were doing at President Kennedy's funeral? I distinctly remember watching the black horse without a rider (figures I'd remember the horse). Hey, come on, I was only 6-years old at the time. My mother and I were riveted to our black and white television set. She was ironing my father's boxer shorts, of all things. A pivotal moment in our nation's history and all I remember is the way she made perfect creases in my dad's shorts. My mother was an ironing goddess.

Not to be disrespectful of the significance of that moment in our nation's history, but who even irons anymore? So much has changed since my childhood. Nowadays, instead of spending five minutes pressing our clothes, we spend fifteen minutes hunting down the bottle of fabric relaxer so we're not late for work. That seems much less stressful, don't you think? Wait a minute, I need to make a note of that observation...

Have you ever thought about keeping a journal? Perhaps I've ruined any notion you've ever had of starting one. Please forgive me, but feel free to share. Be forewarned, though. Your reply might end up in somebody's journal. Either that, or in the clothes dryer.