Was anyone else a diary writer growing up?
I started my first diary at eight years old and filled up twelve (12!!) journals by the time I graduated college. I’ve never been a super “sharey” person so writing in my diary was my outlet all the way up until I met my husband. Now he’s my outlet haha.
My diaries contained my deepest thoughts and feelings which more often than not were pretty dramatic and emotional. I still feel bad about the wrath I poured out on one of my sisters when I found she’d been reading one of my diaries. Poor thing.
My diaries are equally hilarious and embarrassing to read back over now. Was I really THAT boy crazy?? Yes, yes I was.
So, why am I saving my old diaries?
I don’t keep them to read over and over although I’m sure they’d give my husband and I a good laugh.
I certainly don’t keep them to remember all my silly crushes.
A big reason I’ve kept them is because I want to remember how I was when I was younger: what I struggled with, what was a big deal to me.
Because let’s be honest, we often look back at our past with rose colored glasses. It’s easy to see a younger person and think wow I never struggled like they’re struggling. I was more mature at that age. Hmmm but was I really? A quick purview of my diaries will set my memory to rights nice and quickly.
I don’t want to forget what it was like to be a kid/teen. I want to be able to understand my kids and their struggles better because I remember my own, big tough emotions and all.
But I’m not keeping my diaries just to remember how I was. I want to remember what God did. How He helped me, how he taught me, how he protected me (sometimes from myself!) and how ultimately He allowed me to meet my husband. <3
That’s why I’m saving my old diaries.
What about you? If you wrote in diaries/journals growing up have you saved them? Why or why not? Let’s talk in the comments! 🙂
PS – As a side note, I do wish I had continued the diary writing after college but ain’t nobody got time for that – at least not the pages and pages I used to write! At least I have this blog. And maybe I will start up a new diary someday.
PPS – In case you’re wondering, my husband has my permission to read any and all of my old diaries. But he’s the only one. 😉
Leave a Reply