From time to time, I print out my journal entries here. I add them to my collection, which includes several journal books from my early college days up until I started on Xanga (none of which are full, incidentally. They all cover different periods of my life but rarely make it to the halfway mark). I was getting some older ones from 2000 - 2005 organized into a binder I'm keeping them in, and did a little skimming about what I wrote back then.
What I read at first startled me, then shocked me, but then I realized it was okay.
See, a person's writing over the years is supposed to be like a painter's periods: each "era" in life has its own distinct color, flavor, feeling, and rhythm. In good cases, the journey along the timeline reflects a growing maturity, becoming wiser, and reflecting upon the lessons learned.
That's what initially startled and shocked me. When I read back in 2000, I was really immature for the age I was at the time (21) and it reflected itself in my words. As I moved on to subsequent years, I realized this pattern showed up time and time again. I would be all immature about something, experience things that year to change my life view or help me to grow up in some other way, and thereby my maturity level was raised.
It was good to see that happen over time, realizing that I have become more and more mature throughout the years. More responsible. More .. well, adult.
Then, I look at my life now, and I have to laugh - I know I still have a LONG way to go!
Post a Comment