I once had a roommate who gifted me a journal. It came with rules. "You're not allowed to polish the entries," she said with her eyebrows high. I looked into her familiar don't-mess-with-me stare. It was a look I had grown to love throughout our mere three months together. One year out of college and as "wholesome as milk," I had become her new project early on in our friendship. She was a "39 and 1/2" year old firecracker fleeing the corporate world for a life of simplicity. Her heartfelt goals for me included not being so serious, skipping work more, getting drunk, sleeping in, and making out with lots of people. I say heartfelt because I now know how incredible and timely her advise really was.
The journal was a parting gift. In the years it took to fill that journal, I became a new person - a better person. And I followed the rules she gave me. I wrote whenever I felt like it - not just at night, on a schedule, or in extreme emotional states. I wrote as much as I wanted - not stretching or shrinking to fit it nicely on a page. I drew pictures, made side-bars, decorated quotes and included anything else I felt like dumping onto a page. It sounds silly and simple, but it changed me more than I could have ever imagined.
The journal is full. And I love reading it. I also love sharing it. A half a dozen years later I am married and embarking on a new life. It is my hope that this site becomes my new journal and helps to carry me into my next phase of life...one that includes loving relationships with my husband, my communities, the land I live on, the food I eat and the way I spend my time.
The same rules apply to this blog. I will post whenever I feel like it - not as a chore. I will post candidly - not perfectly. I will include any random thought or picture I feel like without justifying the time or space. It will never be a burden or an added source of stress. And just like filling a journal, building this blog will take time. For however long it lasts, I hope it serves as a reminder of my journey and enriches the lives of whoever reads it - even if that's only me. *
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