“… my life is constantly being hit by a barrage of experiences. In fact, so many things are always happening that I run the risk of forgetting to “observe”—to think about, talk about, write about—in short, to reflect on—what’s going on. And if I fail to reflect on my experiences, they never become truly real. If I want to live the fullest kind of life, I must find time for reflection.
"Of course, finding time to reflect is easier said than done. The most reflection-worthy experiences are also usually the most energy- consuming—thus my frustration with journal-writing. And all of us face this dichotomy—between living life, and reflecting on it—all the time. ….. So, I’m convinced, there must be a balance. If I give myself totally over to the moment, and never record or reflect on anything, then I’ll either forget it all or it won’t mean anything to me. But if I’m too busy reflecting on life, I’m not really living it, either, and pretty soon I won’t even have done anything worth reflecting about.” Marilyn Nielson*
Each time I journal I have the choice of simply recording what happened that day. Or, I can go deeper and record what I saw, heard, and felt. No matter at what level I choose to record experiences, I’m saving and enhancing the experience and its memory. I’m saving details. I often see connections with past experiences or get insights that didn’t come to me until I sat down to record and reflect.
For several years I’ve been scanning pictures from Mom’s and Dad’s photo albums and our predigital scrapbooks. Pictures bring back many wonderful memories. In addition they preserve details like clothes, dishes, furniture - the things that were part of our lives. Lately I started scanning a scrapbook that includes the family journal we started in 1982. In addition we saved all the letters we received from various family members. Letters are a form of journaling, as are blog posts. I’m amazed at the richness there is when letters, journal entries, and pictures combine to bring back memories of life’s experiences. The personal journals I have stored in the garage would add even more depth and details.
For now, I will continue to record and reflect on my life’s experiences and share some of those thoughts through our letters and blog posts. As I read the letters Mom and Dad wrote, I am reminded of cherished family memories as well as the routine of our lives. I am glad they made the time to record, reflect, and share. I will do the same and hope there is a positive ripple effect.
*Marilyn Nielson wrote these thoughts in her essay “Reality Through Reflection.” Over the years I’ve come across several poems by Nielson. (See blog posts here and here.) In the essay quoted above she mentions that her father was a physicist. That might help explain where she got her love of science that crops up in her essays, poems, and blog posts. When I looked her up I discovered she is the mother of six children. (The essay was written when she had one child – and she was finding it difficult to find time to journal.) Nielson blogs at Light in Leaves.
picture -Profound pauses
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