Journaling continues to serve an important role in society

For those of you who know me, I am an avid journaler. My journals date back to my preteens but even before then, I had my own big pile of notebook paper that I folded in half and wrote on the front, "My Diary" (unfortunately I no longer have it in my posession), even back then, I was all about self reflection. So, today I came across this article that's a bit dated but reminds me that journaling is importantant to the world and why it contines to help keep who I am in check.

The whole article can be found here. Below is a snippet:

For many people, keeping a journal is a therapeutic exercise. It allows them to express feelings or impressions they may not be able to share with anyone. Often, solely through the act of writing, writers may come to realize a larger truth that their hectic day may have obscured. Writing in a journal is a technique for self-reflection no less than a way to document events.

I recently started keeping a journal as part of my New Year's resolution. I've been surprised by how much more I've been able to put events into perspective. Being able to go through my day and analyze each event has helped to give me a perspective that is driven less by spur-of-the-moment thoughts and more by how things fit into a larger picture of my life.

Perhaps those ancient writers also discovered the personal value of writing down experiences and impressions of everyday events. By doing that, they may have succeeded in both helping themselves and helping modern man understand their lives.

And perhaps an entry in the journal of some modern man will help future generations to understand our culture and our lives. It would come as no surprise to people who take value from their journals and can understand why others would as well.