Paper Nostalgia

My first words danced out on the lines in my 5th birthday journal. The little ballerina on the cover drew me in, and the golden lock secured my truth. Now while I flip through those pages that I still love to feel and smell, I smile at the childish spelling errors and the intermingling of capital and lower case letters. As I reread the thoughts of this little version of me, I can see beyond the mistakes and can still relate to those big feelings and ideas.

Unfortunately, my next journal had glossy, polished paper. Those pages had a plastic feel and were not the sequel I had envisioned. Even at age six, I wrote two long pages about how differently my pencil performed on this surface than in my first journal.

Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to acquire the highest-quality journals. I am still very particular about my choices. Fine paper and beautifully crafted leather are essential features of my journals. I adore matte finished pages able to absorb the depth of my black fountain ideas. Feeling the pen scratch across the pages makes my writing process delightful. Regardless of what the day ahead holds, I know my fountain pen will make its own path.

I've come a long way as a writer from the days of the ballerina with the golden lock. However, my favorite aspects of journaling remain. I still write about the issues I am passionate about. The things which inspire me, bother me or propel me into action. Those are the things I love about writing. My journals are full of problems and solutions. Occasionally, I do reread entries about a topic which was of specific interest or importance to me, and I am grateful for those matte page memories. It is the elementary words written in the little ballerina journal that encourage me to continue writing about feelings leading me to compassion. I still love the perfect matte pages and will search endlessly to find them, after all, that is exactly what makes me who I am.

Submitted by Lee M. When she isn't writing about journaling, Lee is passionate about humor, dogs, photography and guitars. If you’d like to share your own experiences with journaling, please send a note to info@epica.com.