Journal, Record, Scrapbook -- Remember

"Of far more worth than gold." ~Wilford Woodruff

I'm sure my words are not golden but I do have a testimony of journaling, both for myself and for the family. When children know where they came from and who their ancestors are they have higher self esteem and connection to their world. 

Journaling is healing. Record GRATITUDE, it helps bring joy.

I sold scrapbooking product for several years from a company called Creative Memories. I learned during that time how importance it is to record memories. To record the wonderful experiences in our lives because when times are tough it reminds us of all the wonderful things that we have done and when we were happy.

I'm still learning to be "authentic" and raw, to share the good, the bad and the ugly in meaningful ways that bring healing. I'm not so good at that. Hopefully it will come because I see great value in sharing what is real. I think it brings people together and helps us to see that others are vulnerable too…and that it is okay. much easier said than done.

I have felt the need for many years to write my life story as a daughter of a schizophrenic Mother and what that was like. How it still affects me and how I've overcome so much regardless of the circumstance. A story like that means opening up to more than I'm ready to most of time. But I know there is value for me, my children and others who have lived in the same "secretive" experiences. (I'll leave this story to be written now, when I'm ready.)

I printed my first digital scrapbook a few weeks ago and I am mostly happy with it. The pictures are smaller than I like, and not very clear, so I've been looking for another company to print my blog in a similar fashion as it is written so as not to lose the order and names under each picture. No success yet so in the interest of getting it done, rather than not getting a book in print, I may go with the same company again.

Really, as I drone on here, I really just want my children and grandchildren to be able to see themselves in a book, to sit down and enjoy words pictures and memories…together. To remember the good, to laugh, and cry and be real.