Journal Number Three

Do you have any guilty pleasure movies you have to watch whenever you run across them on the TV, no matter how many times you've seen them? One of those movies for me is "A Walk to Remember"

based on the Nicholas Sparks' novel of the same title. It is a sappy story that breaks your heart--I literally start crying the first time the main character begins talking and sob off an on throughout the entire movie.

The last time I watched it (yes, it was just last month) I was intrigued by the fact that the female character has a journal of sorts kept by her deceased mother where she collected quotes, advice and excerpts from various places that she found helpful. In the past I've kept two types of journals:

1. The "Dear Diary" type that records what's happening in my life.
2. A writer's journal that I use to record ideas, work out problems in my WIP and set goals for myself.

But after watching "A Walk to Remember" I decided to try another journal...a collection of others' thoughts that I don't want to forget. After just a month I have pages of poetry, favorite quotes, song lyrics, even an essay I copied off a fast food bag (it was about chocolate!).

I haven't worked out the purpose of this new journal except that I finally feel secure that I won't forget these things I read and think "That's great. I have to remember that." Sure, we think that with the Internet we can search our way to everything have forgotten but a search like "quote about dreamers" after seeing something written on the chalkboard at your local coffee shop and you'll realize just how VAST the Internet is. 

It is part inspirational, with lots of "you can do it" cheers. It is part humor, with funny poems about dogs, growing old and raising children to make me laugh. It is part challenge, with the words of other writers that have become embedded in my memory the way I hope one day my words will find a part of other people's lives. I page through it often and many times find what I need.

Do you collect others' writing in a journal?