Value of Journaling

This blog is my personal journal. It allows me to think about and reflect on matters that arise in daily living that may have longer term effects and value. Often the value is not evident. Working out random thoughts that coalesce with others in magical ways is a value I’ve noted now for nearly 6 years.

The act of writing is creation. Creation of ideas and connections of ideas that seem to make more sense.

The more one writes the better one becomes at it. Sort of like practicing the piano; hours of drudgery surprisingly have an effect. The piano piece labored over for quite some time now sounds good. With more practice the artistry the piece demands becomes quite transparent. And the pianist responds with such artistry. That is one reason why we like some ‘versions’ of a performance piece by one artist over another by a different artist. The voice of the composition is entirely different. It calls forth a different intellectual and emotional response.

That’s what I’m getting at here.

My journaling effort began as a need to explain things I felt I understood when others didn’t. So I tried to ‘explain’ my understanding for others. The act of writing it down, however, demonstrated to myself that I hadn’t fully understood the thing I was writing about. Writing it, however, did fill in the gaps and I grew understanding on the spot. It’s a logic thing. Truly, it is.

In a few months of blogging/journaling, I came to some basic conclusions that remain true today. First, publishing the journal as a blog makes my writing transparent to all who will see it, read it, consume it. That requires of me a level of clarity and honesty I had not expected. I now readily welcome it.

Second, my brain did not implode from anxiety and worry over the condition of the world. I couldn’t control the world’s condition – hell I can’t control my own household! Instead of fretting over it I now write about it. That act frees my mind and spirit. My head will not implode from such knotty problems.

A third benefit is my mind now absorbs many new ideas and incorporates them with my previous understanding. This process expands my mind and its data base. More challenging is expanding the meaning and value of it all. In this manner my mind is now in danger of exploding with the new and expanded realities it is exposed to.

So journaling – initially intended to keep the mind from imploding – is now responsible for keeping my mind from exploding. I write about this stuff so I can manage the mind and move on to new things.

Journaling is a good thing for me. And for those people who care enough to read this material, they know me well. Probably better than I do!

But don’t tell me. Keep it a secret. When I get to that part of the story, I’ll write about it.

July 7, 2017