four years.

This month will mark the fourth straight year that I have been journaling. It has been difficult, sometimes I have faced trials that kept me from it everyday, but these four years are accounted for, every one of those days (or close to it) is accounted for. This is one of the things I am most proud of. I have no intention to ever stop. I am not eloquent in my writing, but it is real. It is such a relief to write about a difficult situation, for me, a weight has been lifted after it is written. It is such a joy to remember a happy time. There is an article by Spencer W. Kimball, titled "The Angels May Quote from It". Here are some of my favorite quotes from the article(in case you do not read the entire thing):

"As we read the stories of great men, we discover that they did not become famous overnight nor were they born professionals or skilled craftsmen. The story of how they became what they are may be helpful to us all.
Your own journal, like most others, will tell of problems as old as the world and how you dealt with them."

“What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved?
Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity.
Get a notebook, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events.”

I do not know what it will mean to my children, or their children, and so on…I do not know if they will learn from it, or even read it. I hope that they do, even if it is filled with things that are hard to admit and things that are very embarrassing for me. I wish that I had something like this from anyone in my family. It would be such a treasure. I have always thought: “If there was a fire, and I only had time to grab one possession, my journals would be it. If nothing else from my life lasts, except my journals, I will be satisfied”.