This past Christmas we once again had dinner with a group of friends who have shared an annual holiday dinner for more than 20 years. At the end of the evening we did our small gift exchange.
This year, my friends, Stephen and Karen, handed me a rectangular box. I opened it to find a beautiful leather-bound journal for me to use during this trip to Bolivia. Karen said, “I hope you like it. I know these days people use computers . . .”
But no, it was the perfect personal thoughtful gift.
Like many writers, I write all my first drafts by hand. And I spend time every morning sitting in the La-Z-Boy writing in notebooks as I look out the window at life in my neighbourhood. The best writing—the really good stuff—comes through my hand first. And every time I go on a significant trip, I keep a handwritten journal.
When I finish writing this post, I will take up a pen and write. In another 20 years, my impressions, my thoughts, my memories, and my experiences as a member of a Habitat for Humanity team will be accessible to me, no matter how much technology changes.
Thanks, Stephen and Karen.
What a perfect gift. I love to keep a journal when I travel. When I read back later, I find things I had forgotten and that makes it worth it. Have a wonderful, fulfilling time in Bolivia.
Yes, the journal I kept when I travelled in Europe has come in handy a few times, even for things like helping my kids with their homework. Nothing like first hand experience to draw from.