Why keep a journal?

Have you ever realized that most people forget the smallest details of life? Think about the time when you started high school.  Did anything interesting happen? Was it just an ordinary day? But when you think about something major, for example 9/11, how do people remember where they were, what they were doing, and how they found out? Little details are seldom remembered on a normal day, but when something major happened, a person can remember what exactly went on. This is one secret of the brain that we do not understand yet.
What if there was some way we could remember an ordinary day? I only know of one way.  That is writing.  I admit, I write in a journal to try to remember those ordinary days and details in full effect.  Not many people now keep a documentation of their writings, but some do, and those are the ones that are one day famous for writing or have an autobiography published by the time they are forty.  Think about Anne Frank, who kept a journal during her time of WWII, and is now dead, but very widely known throughout the world for her life story. There are also many writers that remember their experiences because their life was so traumatic, like Jeannette Walls in The Glass Castle, and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. 
All of these people went through traumatic events, and both ended up being successful writers due to just telling their own story.  Laura Ingalls Wilder, wrote many books based on her life experience, even though there was no trauma, but just a story that she probably documented.  I can think of so many books that were based off of true stories: Caddie Woodlawn, Shadow of the Titanic, To Kill a Mockingbird, Marley and Me, and  Into the Wild.  These stories were taken from true memories and had a fictional book play around them.
Many movies based off of true stories include: Secretariat,  Dolphin Tale, Soul Surfer, Hidalgo, Seabiscuit, and The Blind Side. These stories often are based off of a miracle, but there really does not have to be a miracle to make a good book or story. That's why I recommend everyone write in a journal.  Your story might be amazing too.

The (almost) Perfect Day

I sometimes have random inspirational times where I just get a pen and paper and write my ideas down.  I think this habit developed over time because I always daydream and get sidetracked thinking about other things.  About half of the time, those inspirations make absolutely no sense and I have no idea where they came from.  For example, I wrote this one when I was just sitting on my bed listening to One Direction:


"Not many people believe in the perfect day. Why? Because the perfect day is what only happens in fairy tales. You know, that stereotypical over told story where the prince and princess fall in love and ride off into the sunset? Life is no storybook, no Taylor Swift song, no dream. I am not some magical fairy that can make the perfect day happen with the flick of a wand. The only thing I can hope for is one day more to try and have that perfect day. But really? What's the point in trying? No handsome prince will ride on his white horse, sweep me off my feet, and seal the the day with a kiss. I know some people think they have lived that perfect day, no offense to them, but it will just never happen. Maybe, just maybe, the day exists that is almost perfect. I hope and pray that in someway, with someone, somehow, I will live the day that is almost perfect. Almost complete. Almost a fairy tale."


This passage is basically saying that the perfect day can really never happen.  I know it is a sad topic, but it is a harsh reality.  I have thought that I had the perfect day, but it wasn't exactly perfect.  There was always some complication, some pain, some sadness.  I really do wish that life was a fairy tale, but it really will not work out that way.  From seeing this reality, you might ask yourself, "What's the point of living?" As I said in my random piece, the point of living to me is to try to have that day that is almost perfect. Not completley flawless, but as close to perfect as allowed.  I really think I might have that day soon.  Who knows? It may be years until that almost perfect day, but I can bet on the fact that it exists.  


I know that must have seemed very preachy, talking about the meaning of life, but aren't blogs about finding about other people's opinions and lives? This is a major part of me, and I think for someone to understand me, they have to have my insights on certain topics.  By the time I die, my goal is to look back and remember a day where everything was almost perfect.  

Duke Summer 2011

On the first day of Duke Young Writer's camp, I was actually quite nervous.  Even though it was my second summer on that campus, I really didn't know what to expect.  Were my friends from last year going to be here?  Were we going to have as much fun as we did last year?  I shyly walked into the registration area in the familiar commons room.  Looking around, I did not know anyone.  My anticipation was rising, and I was terrified that I would have to make new friends and fit in with another group.  I handed in my paperwork and received my room key, meal card, and schedule of classes.  The classes were all ones I had not taken before, nor did I know the teachers.  Nothing seemed the same.  Then, as I begrudgenly went to go back and get my bags from the car, I saw a familiar flash of white blond hair.  The girl turned around quickly, like a whiplash, and saw me. "Sara!!" she said as she almost suffocated me in a hug.  The three girls she was with turned around too, and I saw two more familiar faces, only one unknown.  Joselin let me go, and Sara and Emma rushed in to greet me.  Emma's familiar Victoria's Secret perfume calmed my nerves as I remembered my old friends at camp.  The girl with the curly brown hair and large brown eyes introduced herself as Jessica.  Emma dragged me out of the room and introduced me to her roommate, a pretty redhead, Ashley, and her friend from down the hall, a tiny blond haired girl, Abbie.  I was actually quite wary of letting three other girls into our close knit group, but as time went on, we all were inseparable. The seven of us were always together, from eating lunch, to writing each other notes and sitting with each other in assembly.  A few guys flocked into our now large group, Matt, Tad, Morgan, and Cody. I really wouldn't say we were a clique, since we were not mean, but yes we were very close.  Having that many friends by my side always ensured that I could always have someone to count on from Jessica "dropping it like its hot"in front of the dining hall for our amusement, or getting high off of sugar on the last day of camp, then having a huge sleepover.  These two weeks turned out to be the most fun I have had in a long time.  This year, I hope to not be nervous, and know my new and old friends will meet me there.  

 

left to right: Ashley, Sara, Emma, Joselin, Me, Jessica, Abbie