"No one is commonplace, and I doubt if you can ever read a biography from which you cannot learn something from the difficulties overcome and the struggles made to succeed. These are the measuring rods for the progress of humanity."
"Your own journal, like most others, will tell of problems as old as the world and how you dealt with them."
"What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved?
Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity.
Get a notebook, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events."
I love keeping journals. I am almost done with my 7th one. There are some pages in my journals that I love to read and reread. I spent some time today looking through my journals and thought it would be cool to share some entries with you.
First, you don't have to read all of them.
Second, I tried to pick one entry from the beginning of each year (I stayed away from the ones I thought would be too embarrassing for me...which was surprisingly often) since I started writing in a journal.
Third, don't judge...
Fourth, you can judge if you want.
Fifth, I did a little redacting.
Sixth, some of the entries took up more than one page, but I only put one page per year so some of the entries just end abruptly...sorry.
Seventh, the last three pages shown are a letter that I wrote to my future self a few months ago.
Eighth, NERD ALERT!!!
Enjoy:
 |
| 1st page of Journal #1 This is as far back as I could take my family tree when I was 12. |
 |
| I actually got my journal in October 1997 Also, I don't hate Adam anymore... I'm still not sure about Scott...j/k |
 |
| I survived Y2K A little update on each family member |
 |
| I evolved to all caps |
 |
| First new year in Nicaragua |
 |
| Second New Year in Nicaragua |
 |
| What happened on Valentine's weekend?... The world may never now! |
 |
| 2008 was the worst year ever...until August when I met Laura |
 |
| This was after Laura dumped me... It was also before I dumped Laura. |
 |
| I thought it would be my last semester...I'm still in school :( But, I am done for real in less than 2 weeks. |
 |
| If you don't want to read them all...this letter is the one to read. Page 1 of 3 |
 |
| Page 2 of 3 |
 |
| Page 3 of 3 |
 |
| Finally, just to make things a little awkward. This last picture is of a piece of my skin that I peeled off my calf when I was about 16 years old. It is about the size of my palm. I keep it in a ziplock back as an insert. Yummy! |
Anyway, keep a journal okay!
Jacob
