Our ward (I'm not sure if all wards are doing this or what) is doing this new 7 week family history Sunday school class, and I'm really excited to be able to go. I've been thinking a lot lately about my respnsibility to do family history research and get names ready to take to the temple. A few weeks ago we had a lesson in Sunday school and I had this epiphany...I can just imagine a large family council in heaven, when some of our family members VOLUNTEERED to live during a time of darkness without the gospel, and give me the opportunity to live now if I would do their work for them. Since then, I have really been trying to learn and do my part. Tomorrow I am teaching a little lesson about getting to know our families and our own personal story using some stories of Great Grandma Boyes.
Even though I never knew her, she has had a BIG impact on my life.
I don't know how many people (since most of you are related to me and may anyways) know how much I love to keep a journal. I love it. I put everything from movie tickets, photos and reciepts to my deepest thoughts, wildest hopes and biggest fears in them. I got my inspiration from GG Boyes...I loved reading tidbits of her journals and getting a glimpse into her everyday life, and also the glimpse she showed me of my mom and her sisters growing up: "Renee went to town with me this morning to get Roxanne a birthday present..." a few days later: "Renee here to spend the day, Mike came down to get his haircut..."
Except, I always felt like many of her writings were kind of like a news report-missing the real meat-the human story. So, taking the inspiration from her and adding my own flair for the dramatic, I've come up with this, my collection of journals:
I like to doodle, and this one is a dream I had whereI fell in love and got engaged, and then my wonderful lover tells me he used to be a woman! Where did that come from? Freud would have a FIELD day with that, I'm sure...
I think I did this while I was on a conference call from home...it was obviously very exciting business information that it was necessary I hear first hand...
Fabric scraps from the first apron i made, and what it looks like, and my hopes and dreams of making and selling cute aprons, and then realizing I am not good at sewing.
my journals all lined up. The white one is my first, and then the rest are I guess about the last 5 years or so.
Because I write such sassy and irreverent things in my journals that seem to amuse people who are lucky enough to read or be read to from them, Angie and Krista wanted to inherit one. This one is notarized (not really) to go to Krista, then Angie, then be returned to my family after my death. It's official-that's my fingerprint.
Like I said, I like to doodle. And that's the inspiration for a painting I'm working on also. Oh! and those are the notes from the Sunday school class where I had the inspiration... I love putting my notes on spiritual things in my journals too, it helps me to keep them top of mind.
I always cover the front an back inside covers with quotes or special memories, and usually a threat to probing eyes. one even says "reader, beware..." really great invitation to my progeny...
Each one is different, and very unique. Buying a journal is special. It has to speak to make me excited to write in it, and be just the right size for me to take anywhere, so that when the mood strikes I'm ready to write. I really don't hide anything. Ask Emily...or my friend Susannah. I've shown them both some not very nice things I wrote about them in there when I was younger. But I love them both, and I was a snotty child-I think I've mostly grown out of it.
One of my favorite things I ever did was show my hope that someday, someone would want to read them, because I left fill in the blanks for them to respond. like this from my VERY FIRST journal (my mom gave it to me, and I used it from when I was about 8 until I was 18) November 26, 1994 "guess what!? __________(please fill in the blank) My mom is in the hospital again. She went in one year and one day from when she got out last year. what do you think of that ________________?" Sorry that's kind of a depressing example. It's the only one I could find right then.
Given the chance I will praise the benefits of keeping a journal to anyone who will listen. I love to go back and read about the things I thought/did. The way I felt and get ideas or insight to current situations. It's so therapeutic also. I can write it down, and move on (most of the time). The other thing I love about my journals is that I write inspiring quotes in them randomly when I buy them, and then happen across them as I write...I love it because it always seems to be just what I need that day as I write to give me a little pick me up or spur a new thought in a new direction.
I didn't mean for this to be so long, all I really wanted to say was 1. thank you GG Boyes for writing so diligently in your journals (and to the family for letting me help type them and get inspired by her) and 2. Thank you Sunday school for that food-for-thought/motion starting discussion. I'm excited to do my part.
4 comments:
I love looking at your journals, because 1, they are so aesthetically pleasing, and 2, I'm very nosy. You write in your journals the way I take notes. Neat.
I remember going journal shopping with you! So fun. I completely agree with you about the journals. This past year was not my best journal year (somehow my writing every day didn't happen all the time), but I'm making up for it this year. And yet again I want to tell you how much I love reading your blog. But it makes me miss you too.
Amy, you're amazing! I've told you before but you're a great example of journal writing. This post has inspired me to get out my journal, dust it off and write more often. I used to write every day but got out of the habbit. Thanks for sharing!
I, too, loved reading GG Boyes' journals. It got me through many a boring Sacrament meeting in my youth. Interestingly, I learned about my siblings from her journals almost more than my dad.
But she, and my Grandma Sohn, are my inspirations. I am in the process of typing up my Grandma Sohn's journals--I've wanted to do it for quite a while now. I have referenced them both in quite a few lessons I have taught. I wish I were consistent in writing still. I haven't been for a while and don't know when I will get back into it again.
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