Jo, I love how you describe your diary as your companion. How true! I never thought of it that way, but you are exactly right. Its kind of like the invisible who friend who will never rat you out. And then you get to keep it all too, whereas a friend or partner can’t possibly (and maybe shouldn’t!) remember all that. Cheers, sister!

I often think of that and wonder what will happen to my diaries. I don’t have children and I can’t quite think my stepchildren will want to wade through all that. My niece? Who knows. I also sometimes wonder if they will end in a bonfire. If someone else wants to send them back into the universe that way after I’m gone, I’m ok with it but I don’t think it is something I will do. At least not any time soon.

That’s really true. Beautiful handwriting used to be a matter of pride and now no one has nice handwriting. I can definitely see how my mood effects my handwriting by just glancing at my diaries. The calmer, the easier to read. Very happy and very angry both produce illegible scrawl.

Hi Ruth,
How wonderful to meet you! I had no idea that journaling had a foundation 🙂 or that there are software products designed for journaling. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your work. I took a peek at both sites and will definitely be back! Cheers.

I’ve kept a journal since I was 18–off and on–some years writing volumes and other years barely a few entries. But the value of writing for me is way beyond anything I’d imagine. In fact it has given me a right livelihood. I’ve designed journal software (LifeJournal, at http://www.lifejournal.com) and I’m the founder/director of the International Association for Journal Writing (www.IAJW.org), where we interview journal luminaries, offer classes about journal writing, writing memoir and more. Come visit! –Ruth

Dear JM,

Your reply really touched me. What happened to you is horrible and was not fair. It is in many ways a rape. I have thought about you a lot today.

You are a writer in spite of what happened which means that in some ways you have overcome what happened to you even though in other ways the damage has been more permanent. Of course you could not stop having anything to do with your mother or sisters when this happened; you were a child.

I cannot imagine a therapy that will ease an anger that deep.

Try a journal if ever you feel the need. Take a notebook and start in the back. Write one line and then continue on the first line of the page before, so that you are writing backwards and when you get to the beginning of the book, start on the second line in the back. Use abbreviations. Or whatever idea you like.

Have you ever heard of the online journal called Penzu? Do it for yourself. Write boring things until you feel safe. And if you never feel safe, I, for one, will not blame you.

Light and love.

It shocks me sometimes that I ever have anything further to do with those people… 30 years later I still burn about it.

I’m a writer by profession, and I suffer such anxiety and stress about putting opinon to page sometimes. I’ve gone YEARS without easily hitting a deadline.

i’ve never since been able to keep a journal. I know it would be wonderful for me.

Even therapy hasn’t helped.