I started journaling around the age of ten.  It was a coveted Christmas present, hard-bound with a gold embossed “L” for Linda on the cover, and a lock and  key. Back then it was simply called a diary. The empty pages soon came alive in the form of Amy, my soul-mate and confidant for many years to come.  She sat with me on the front porch many nights to absorb the sun setting over majestic mountains, and to make a wish on the first star.  She helped me sort out countless mysteries (he loves me, he loves me not) in the journey from adolescence to teenage.  She absorbed the shyness of the first overnite camp, the exhilaration of the first kiss, the disappointment of the first failing grade.  She listened like a pond swallowing a splashing pebble, and when the ripples subsided, she invited me to check my reflection in calmer waters. 

Amy never left me but I left her intermittently, often too busy riding the waves of life’s busy-ness to stop and reflect.  But sporadically, as time permitted, I filled her in……love, marriage, birth, death, hopes, dreams, triumphs, defeats.  Always, no matter how long the separation, we picked up where we left off like true best friends. 

Then one day, like a classic mid-life crisis, I began to be discontent with my lot.  I took to looking astray at legitimate writing, the stuff that gets published in magazines, newspapers and books and suddenly, time spent with Amy felt trivial, less important, almost shameful.  I dropped her completely without explanation, and ran off to pursue a relationship with legitimate writing.   

But wait a minute.  Now I am really confused.  I just came from a weekend retreat featuring journaling as, you guessed it, a legitimate form of writing.  Set aside a regular time, a comfortable space, write from the heart, the presenter urged us, and let yourself go.  Whoaaa!  This sounds like way too much fun for an important, legitimate writer like me. Well, maybe I could give it a try, in between important, legitimate writing projects, of course.  Care to join me?  Here are a few starter prompts, in case you’ve gotten rusty like me:

On this day I shall…..I have done something for which I am……I have to make a choice between….It’s a wonder I haven’t……I am grateful for…..I want to be……I want to……It was a time when…..O, Dear Lord…..I feel…….Thank you for…..Today I am especially grateful for……I pray for……..Today I felt…..Today a prayer was answered when……I would like to……..I am……..I want to consider…….Today I….Today I saw……Dear Lord, I am so……I think it would be fun to………Dear Lord, help me………Today I am……..Lord, I pray for your guidance as I…….Today was certainly a gift because……Shower your blessings upon…….Help me to understand……..I am troubled about…….Today I smiled at…….I wonder why…..I wonder what…….I wonder when……..I wonder who……I wonder if……I wonder……….