Why do we write, anyway?

Last night I went to a little get together all about "journaling". You know, actually writing all your thoughts down with a pen on a paper, and no one will really ever look at it... all that jazz. I used to be really good at that, actually. My journals were awesome. I was detailed. I mean, really detailed. I mostly wrote about boys, but I remembered every detail. I also wrote about school, and friends, and family, hardships and happiness. Pretty much everything I write on this blog. But there's something about a pen and paper journal that feels a lot more personal, don't you think? That book is mine. I don't have to share it with anyone else if I don't want to.

But the thing is... I do want to! I'm fascinated by life. By MY life. I love thinking about all the twists and turns that got me to where I am now. I love seeing my happiness unfold, and being able to look back on how it all happened. There are so many blog posts I can read that remind me of exactly where I was at that moment. Even if that isn't what I was writing about at the time. My worries and fears of growing up are plastered in the archives of this blog. My self discovery and big decisions are celebrated with the size 12 font that I so willingly give up to the internet. I love it all. I love reading other people's blogs for the same reason. How did you all get to where you are today? I love when I read one post of someone's blog and then I'm hooked. Sucked into their archives, all the way back to Day One, just so I can know all about them.

Maybe it's creepy, I don't know. Sorry if it is. But more like sorry I'm not sorry.

Someone said something about journaling tonight (I know, someone said something... whatever, I'm not good with quote credit) that really hit me. Lately, I feel like I am so surrounded by blessings. I can't look at my life without feeling like I literally have everything I want. Sometimes I'm so happy and grateful, I feel almost scared - like at any minute it could be snatched away from me. But someone said tonight that journaling helps you focus on those parts of your life that you write about. I feel like I write so much about the happy things in my life that I'm starting to let the happy times be the ones that stand out.

If I was writing about the bad things, I might focus more on all the bad things that happen in my life. By writing about the good, I'm allowing myself to be filled with positivity and feelings of thankfulness. I hope I can always live my life this way. I hope that when people read my blog/journal they are uplifted. I hope you realize that my life is normal, but that I have so much to be grateful for, I just don't care about the small annoyances. I hope you know that I know I have it good, and that I get down on my knees every night to say thank you.

I never want to take it for granted. Ever. And I'm glad that I have my blog to write in, to remind me every time I write how good I have it.

^^^ look at that journal I made. I'm so crafty... uh... ha ha ^^^

p.s. is your blog your journal? do you have a separate journal? What do you think about journaling, anyway? (picture me staring intently at you with my fist under my chin for these questions.)