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#36221 - 02/15/03 01:24 PM journaling
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
Journaling has become one of my hobbies over the past few years and I love it.

I find it funny that one of the things that kept me from jounaling at one time was how I would feel if someone read my journal. So, I figured that if I didn't journal, no one could read my thoughts.

For your information (and this is something and friend of mine and I have roared about!)no one seems to be interested in reading it! Here it sits, right next to my computer, on top of my Bible and prayer folder, and I don't think anyone even knows. Not my husband or children. I mean they know I journal, but they don't seem to care about it!

Now the reason we laughed about this is because we thought that if our husband or kids had a diary/journal, don't you think we would be interested? Wouldn't we at least ask about it?
Would we snoop and read it? Why are we so much more interested in their lives? Is it a woman thing? Just curious...any thoughts on this?

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#36222 - 02/15/03 02:34 PM Re: journaling
lionspaaw Offline
Member

Registered: 11/28/02
Posts: 887
Loc: SW Florida
I, also, have journalized -- for most of my life -- and have wondered many times myself -- why doesn't anyone seem to care what's in my journal, sitting right here for anyone to read -- while knowing full well that the curiosity of what's in their journals would be killing me [Smile]

I think it might be a woman's thing -- Perhaps they don't read it because we're somehow put on a different pedistal than the rest of the family. MOM -- wow -- pretty awesome three letter word. Maybe they figure that they've already heard us say everything we may have written -- or maybe they're "afraid" to know what our inner thoughts are. We, on the other hand, almost feel like its our "duty" as MOM -- protector of the innocent -- to know what's going on in their lives -- so we can somehow "fix it" or help them get over the hurdles life throws in their path.

My mom always said to me that if my journal was lying open -- she figured I wanted her to read it -- but if it was closed it was none of her business -- so hard as it might be for this Leo curiosity to be contained -- I try very hard not to snoop. Course, I had boys -- I may have sung a different tune had I been raising girls [Wink]

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#36223 - 02/17/03 12:49 AM Re: journaling
Candice Johnson Offline
Member

Registered: 10/09/02
Posts: 416
Loc: Alexandria, VA
Actually, my husband read my journal shortly after we got married. It had a lot of things in there about the doubts I had before we got married. He kept asking me weird questions and finally fessed up. It was one of the biggest fights we've had. I haven't journaled since, or I will write something and then tear it up and throw it away.

He said it wasn't fair that I just left it out right by the bed for him to see every day, especially when he saw me writing in it. I think it probably is too much temptation for some people. If I was in his place, I would have done the same thing. I actually did. When my grandmother died, I found a journal of hers and wanted to read it, thinking it would bring me closer to her. The things I read haunted me so much that I burned it in my kitchen sink one night just to get some peace.

I'm sure I'll get back to journaliing eventually, I just haven't felt open enough to do it yet. I think it's great that you both just leave your journals out and no one reads it. I wouldn't worry that no one is interested, be grateful that they respect your privacy. I know I wish I had let certain things remain burried and I'm sure my husband does too.

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#36224 - 02/26/03 03:28 AM Re: journaling
Vicki M. Taylor Offline
Member

Registered: 01/06/03
Posts: 2196
Loc: Tampa, FL
I've had many journals. When I was married to my first husband, he read them without my permission and it caused a LOT of fights. He would never get it through his head that just because I wrote my fears or my dreams or my feelings that it meant I was unhappy with our relationship. He never understood the therapy of writing out feelings and then being done with them.

I stopped writing in journals for a long time after that, until after we divorced. Now, I've filled dozens of journals and I keep at it as often as I can. It's such a therapeutic release for me to write out my feelings and thoughts. I put in dreams and then their interpretations. I fill it with cards and mementos from special events. I even put in cartoons that I cut out from the newspaper!

I have it specified in my will that when I die my journals are to be destroyed. I don't think anyone could ever understand and be objective of what I've written.

Why do I keep them now, instead of destroying them as I go? I like to read them sometimes. It's a special feeling to see my growth through different times in my life. Since they cover decades, it's interesting to see what I felt important at one time in my life compared to now.

Writing is important to me. It's like breathing. I need to write.

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#36225 - 03/14/03 03:48 AM Re: journaling
Candice Johnson Offline
Member

Registered: 10/09/02
Posts: 416
Loc: Alexandria, VA
I figured I start journaling again. I've done two entries in one week. Not bad I guess. How many people make it a daily thing or just when the spirit moves you?

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#36226 - 03/15/03 04:27 PM Re: journaling
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
I guess I need to clarify things about my journal here. It is actually something that I do about 5 times a week. Mine is a prayer journal. I write letters to God thanking, praising, asking for forgiveness, and doing the please God help me here and them there, etc. thing! I usually read a passage and reflect on it in my journal. It has been a tremendous gift to myself because I sort things out about my life as I talk with God about them. I also write names of people that I am praying for.

Anyway you do it, or however often you do it, it is a blessing to get thoughts on paper because you learn so much about your inner self! I am a firm believer in always having something personal to work on! [Roll Eyes]

Good luck with your new habit! [Big Grin] I will try to ask you about it in the forum to hold you accountable! [Wink]

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#36227 - 03/15/03 11:43 PM Re: journaling
Lise Offline
Member

Registered: 03/14/03
Posts: 9
Loc: Hudson, Quebec, Canada
Hi girls,

I have tried before doing a journal, humm, I guess I'm not very good at routine and sticking to doing something on a regular basis. That goes for the exercise thing as well [Eek!]

What I started though when my daughter was a baby is write a kind of book/journal to her for when I'm not around anymore. I figured that since I had her when I was older, that she might need answers or might want to know about me and when she was young and I would not be there to answer her questions.

So I wrote a lot more when she was young, told her things about me before I was married and also wrote names of people that were around her, like friends, when she was like 3 or 4 years old.
And about my parents who died before she was born. I then only wrote in it maybe once a year since now she is 14 years old and knows what's going on.

Then it hit me last month that I should at least have written a travel journal because we have been to a lot of places, and we just came back from our 12th cruise. Duh!! Why didn't I think of that before. Anyway, I bought one before this last cruise and wrote in it everyday. And I intend to do that for every trip we take from now on.

Also did you know you can do journaling online? I just found out last month. There are a few sites but the one I like is Oprah's at http://oprah.com. I think you have to join as a memeber(its free) and then you go into journaling and there are different ones you can use. I might use one for my exercise program I'm starting next week [Wink] I don't know how it works, I guess you get a password because no one can read it then [Razz] .

Well I am being called to my cook duty.

Have a great weekend

Lise

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#36228 - 03/18/03 02:24 PM Re: journaling
Kathryn Offline
Member

Registered: 11/20/02
Posts: 317
Loc: Towson
At any given time I have at least 4 or 5 journals working. There's the prayer journal, there is the one I keep occassionally for the kids, there is the very private, my eyes only journal. I've always been very private about my writing. Part of my intimacy issue I suppose. Anyway, yesterday I began a brand new journal. It is one that I will leave out and have told my husband he is free to read it whenever he likes. During my dark times I shut down and don't pray and don't write and don't talk to anyone. I realize now that for years, my journals have been my lifeline to my sanity and to not write is just dumb.

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