One Line a Day
Alyssa Peterson
I always wanted to be one of those girls who wrote in a journal every day.
The concept sounded so appealing: record every moment and memory, and someday get to look back on them with gratitude. Unfortunately, though, I didn't make time for these long entries, and so they rarely got done, and life passed quickly. One day, though, my mama gave me this little blue book, entitled One Line A Day: A Five Year Memory Book. Each day has its own page, with five sections under it, one for each year. I soon discovered that even I can consistently do this kind of journaling, and the memories preserved here are priceless to me.
The cover looks worn, loved, used, and the sight of it reminds me of my mama, who both gave me this gift and is my best friend. It represents a little piece of her that I took with me to college. In just five minutes of perusing the pages, I encounter every one of my senses, as well as a wide range of emotions, from ecstatic joy to loss, and everything in between.
First, my book reminds me of the sweet fragrance of a rose, as I read how the guys in our senior class bought each girl a rose for the last dance of the year on March 18th. As I turn the pages to the first week of April, my body involuntarily shudders at the touch of chilly Mexico mornings, during a week of service projects in the Baja peninsula. Though I can almost feel the cold, my journal moves me also to see the colorful, airbrushed sky that appeared only an hour later. I hear my boss yelling at me on February 16th, but also my baby cousin giggling just a few weeks later, on March 5th. Late August reminds me of a picnic in the park before I headed to college, and Red Robin's BBQ chicken wrap on a date with my boyfriend. This storybook (or so it seems to be) reminds me both of my fears in January, when I doubted I could afford Whitworth, and my great relief when I discovered, just over a month later, that I could indeed be here. Without my little book, many of these connections to my senses would be lost to memory, or simply blurred in the passing days.
As evidenced in the last example, this item also offers a gift I did not expect...it allows me to see God's faithfulness to me over time, as the fears, worries, and problems I document are later redeemed. For the opportunity to record memories (and actually do it daily!), remember the bigger picture, and connect with every one of my senses, I chose to put this book on a table.
I was really inspired by your post and touched by how much meaning just a few words can have as they bring up memories intertwined with emotions of all kinds. I loved reading the description of just a few of the memories you have written down in your book and how they allow you to revisit your previous senses and emotions. I also enjoyed how you pointed out that the act of writing down events day to day that seem important, exciting, or challenging at the time allows for later reflection and the ability to see God's presence in one's life. I too have always wanted to be more consistent with writing in my daily journal and though it gets tough when life gets busy, I agree that the "gift" it provides is priceless.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a product. From a standard perspective, journals all seem very mundane, simple; just blank pages in a book. However, the design of this product is extraordinary. The way a simple layout shift from the standard can remind us of such vivid memories is an amazing example of how design is changing our world and becoming increasingly valuable.
ReplyDeleteI love this post so much Alyssa. You could have treated this like a mundane assignment and written simple, formulaic paragraphs addressing each question asked. Instead, you crafted a narrative that was engaging to read and also taught us a little bit about who you are. I love the idea of writing one line a day; I've always struggled to be consistent in my journaling, and I feel like that would help me a lot. You're totally right that though it sometimes seems like a waste of time, it's always worth it to look back on things you wrote last week or two years ago, because it's a great way to see personal growth. This post was so inspirational. :)
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