The writing of a journal for some is a therapeutic and helpful process. It focuses the mind and heart - at least that's what the websites say. On one of my bookshelves are six beautiful journals - leather bound, lined with stunning graphics and though provoking texts - all empty until now.
I began writing "my journal" a couple of months ago as a way of helping me to ponder and reflect. It all seems just self-indulgent, as does writing a blog sometimes, but maybe just maybe it allows us to reflect even more deeply than before.
You see my memory is not so good, and it is getting worse, when I walk into the kitchen I sometimes forget why I have gone in there. At least when I walk into the loo there is a hint and not so many choices! So the point of a journal has been designed to help me consider and re-consider thoughts, feelings, frustrations, hurt... the list is endless. And it helps.
In The Chronicles of Narnia, Lucy, one of the visitors whispers to Aslan, (a talking lion symbolising Jesus - “Aslan, Aslan, if ever you lived with us at all, send us help now.” C.S. Lewis writes, “The darkness did not grow any less but she began to feel a little — a very, very little – better.”
How lovely to feel just a little better when darkness threatens to consume.
Lewis continues the story saying at about the same time a crewmember sees a tiny speck of light ahead, which, again, “did not alter the surrounding darkness” but did light up the ship.
Wow a powerful reminder that sometimes the darkness seems not to disappear immediately and the storm does not always cease ..but,, BUT there, just there in the clouds there is God. And keeping a journal - even for a few weeks has helped me see the light shining through.
Why not try it?
1 comment:
I've been journalling for about a year now - but also keeping a gratitude list as suggested by Ann Voskamp http://www.aholyexperience.com/
in her book One Thousand Gifts. There are alot of really difficult things in my life at the moment, with family members being very ill, and keeping the gratitude list has helped a great deal.
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