journal

When I was 13 years old I started a journal. I had done the whole diary thing before that (you know the one, with the little lock and key), but my journal was different. A bit more serious. I continued writing in my journal (well, journals, I wrote so much that I had a few books) until I was about 18. I didn't have a specific reason for stopping other than I went away to college and didn't have much journal time. On one of my trips home from school I looked through my journals one last time and ripped them up and threw them out. Why? I'm not really sure. I guess at the time I felt that I was beginning a new phase of my life, and I no longer needed them. Now, I'm not one to "regret" but I think it'd be interesting to read those journals after all this time. I also kinda wish that I would've kept writing through all the things that I've been through since I was 18.

Things like...Meeting my hubby. The struggles we went through. My conversion to Islam. Moving to Saudi Arabia. Adjusting to a new culture. Being pregnant. Having a baby. Going through the joys of being a new Mom and the depression that can come after giving birth. Each of our trips home to visit family in the US. Raising an awesome little boy. Loving my hubby after all this time. There are so many things that I would love to have documented.

Sure, we now have things like blogger, facebook, and twitter. But those are not the same as a good old journal. A place to just write it all out. A place where no one can read, unless granted permission. A place of real, true honesty.

I've gone through some challenges this year. And after being frustrated with so many things, I've decided it's time to start a journal again. I NEED it. I want to write it all out, without holding back, without worrying about hurting someone's feelings. And once we are able to write things out honestly, we then feel less stressed because it's no longer bottled up inside us. It can then also help us communicate our feelings and opinions better to those with whom we need to discuss issues with.

So I found a nice journal book that my big sister got me a couple yrs ago. I was saving it because it's too cute. It'll be perfect for volume 1 of my journal. ;)

journal images found via Target