Canadians are very proud of swimming phenomenon Summer MacIntosh who won four gold medals at the World Aquatic Championships during the past week. Before the meet began there were comparisons with swimming legend Michael Phelps who won 28 medals at the Olympics alone, so high praise.
Phelps is long retired and admits he swims only occasionally for recreation. In a New York Times article about his post-sports life he mentions that he has become a devoted journaller, writing down just everything in each day as part of his mental health regime and in order to " be the best version of myself and give myself that chance.”
As a forty-year journaller, nearly every day during those decades, I was pleasantly surprised by this revelation. I too write about this, that, and everything and have found my own rhythm for doing so. I rarely go back to entries but when I do some of them surprise me. Recently I opened a journal from 37 years ago and discovered that then six-year-old son Isaac figured he could climb the TV tower to the roof of our home and I let do it! I'm glad that the statute of limitations has run out on bringing charges for child endangerment.
As with this blog, nearly every entry has some aspect of spiritual reflection, even if it is only a line of gratitude to God. I regularly write about my appreciation of Creation and Creator. Every entry notes the weather and the critters I have observed.
What will happen to all the journals I've written, probably a hundred by now, with more to come? I may have an impressive bonfire before all my marbles depart but the exercise and disciipline have been important.
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