Secrets?! Do tell…

“Listen/Do you want to know a secret?/Do you promise not to tell?”

Now picture two little kids, ages 5 & 9, dancing on a bed and singing into pretend microphones. This is how I learned at age 5 that singing would not be one of my career choices.

So, here’s a secret. I’m not a big fan of the Beatles. There, I’ve said it. Some may find my utterance to be sacrilegious. I’m just not crazy about them. Their talent is undeniable as is their influence on the music industry. That said, my favorite Beatle was George and I loved that he formed the Traveling Wilburys.

The real secret I came to tell today is that I’ve never been one for journaling and/or keeping a diary. The earth just shook a bit. What?! I, the one who encourages people to write their feelings out on paper, don’t maintain a journal? Nope, never have. I will say my various blogs have served that function for the last fifteen years. I’ve written many, many things on sheets of paper and stashed them or tossed them.

Here’s what I know. For me, the physical act of using a pen to make words on paper brings me the satisfaction of an athlete having a good workout. So maybe I’ve achieved a new status – The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Writer. (Someone will recognize what I did there.)

Seriously, though. The pen gliding across the paper is a calming feeling. It boggles my mind that I’m the one creating the words on the paper. Though I’m never able to keep up with the lightning speed of my thoughts, I’m usually able to capture their essence. I will say that I do not give myself permission to unleash my thoughts fully. I still practice careful writing. someday the hounds will be released.

Is it hypocritical for me to make journals and encourage the use of them for writing? No. I’ve done the research. It’s beneficial for any individual to put thoughts on paper. And achieving this goal by handwriting these thoughts sharpens cognitive skills, helps the mind to be disciplined and organized, and enhances learning. Hey, who knew it could be good for you? Well, I knew.

How do I know? Because it has helped me. Just as crafting is currently helping me explore a new facet of my personality, writing has been incredibly beneficial. When I began making journals in August, one of my first was dedicated to Jim. I hadn’t dealt with his loss properly and it was time. So, I did it in a manner familiar to me. I wrote.

I didn’t pen an epic tale. There are many snippets within his journal, along with other pages of writing. When I put the finishing touches on it, I was proud of my work and felt some peace about his passing. And most of the writing I did is on notebook paper. I’m a fan of lines. One doesn’t need fancy paper. I’ve written bits of poetry on paper bag scraps.

Never, ever, discount the worth of your words or thoughts. They’re priceless. The best part is there is no right or wrong for writing them down. You do you. I favor the use of a Pentel RSVP black fine point and some lined paper.

One more secret. Recently while the weather was gorgeous, I took myself on a picnic. While I’m a hopeless Romantic and would have liked to create and share a picnic with a special someone, there just isn’t one at this moment. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity, so I asked myself and I agreed.

It was a small picnic, just right for one. Some good cheese, a nice roll, a ripe pear, and a handful of nuts…all washed down with unsweetened homemade iced tea. The tea had mint from my patio herb pot. I chose to sit at a picnic table at Thacher Park. It was lovely. And after I ate, I sat and wrote. It was better than a fantasy, almost.

Enough secrets for today.

“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,/So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” Sonnet 18. Shakespeare