Superficial
At the end of his second published diary, Superficial, Andy Cohen mentioned some of the pros and cons of keeping a diary and I was definitely able to relate to him. He said, “What’s been great about keeping this diary is that I can look back—there is a record of where I’ve been, who I’ve seen, and how I’ve felt along the way. That record is a gift." I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been an avid journal writer since January 1, 1993. I had just turned sixteen about a month earlier and had also just finished reading a book called Be True to Your School by Bob Greene. It was the 1964 journal of a teenager and it was also the inspiration for me to begin my own journal.
It’s been more than twenty-five years since my first entry and I love that most of my life is on record. I can reread my journals to recall where I’ve been, who I’ve seen, and how I’ve felt along the way any time I want. But just because I can do that, doesn’t mean I actually do. In fact, I have never reread any of my previous journals—not yet anyway. Maybe one day when I’m older and I’m sitting in my rocking chair on my porch, I’ll have the desire to look back and start rereading them. At the moment, though, I’m totally content living my life in the present and looking forward to every day the future holds for me. I don’t have the desire to look back just yet, but I’m grateful that I have the option to do so whenever the mood finally strikes me.
Having my life on record in my journals is truly a gift, but it takes a lot of hard work and discipline to keep up with the task. Like Andy also said, when it comes to keeping a diary/journal, you get “the feeling sometimes at the end of a busy day that there’s still one more thing to do." I spend a lot of time writing about what happened each day of my life because I don’t want to ever forget my life story. It sometimes gets exhausting, but it’s never a chore for me. I’ve never considered it “one more thing to do." I feel fortunate that I have had so many wonderful things to write about because I’ve been blessed with an amazing life and wonderful family and friends to share it with. Unlike Andy, I’ve never spent any time thinking, “This would be great for the diary." I simply live my life, trying to make the most of every day, every experience, and every adventure. And quite honestly, sometimes there’s not much to write about—maybe nothing more than a sentence or two. I just go about my days trying to get the most out of them—not for my journal, but for my personal pleasure. While having the record of my life in my journals is a gift in itself, having the actual experiences and adventures is the ultimate reward.
While there are plenty of similarities, Andy’s diary style is also a little different than my journal style. He likely used a computer to write his diary. He said, “I feel like on the other side of this keyboard my life is waiting for me, and I want to go out and just live it." I, on the other hand, prefer using a good old fashioned pen to write in my own authentic handwriting as I fill the pages of my own personal journals. Taking the time to put my pen to paper and telling the story of my life, for nothing more than personal satisfaction, is important to me. And while I totally understand where Andy is coming from, I honestly feel like keeping this record is part of living my life and I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to do so.