The Perfect Journal

As the new year arrives, it seems appropriate to wax poetic on journals and journaling.  I've touched on it before, but no better time to revisit the subject.

Bottom line: I believe there is one perfect journal for all mankind: the Journal 10+ from Because Time Flies.  I buy several a year as the ultimate gift at around $40.  It's essentially ten years of your life in one neat book, and it takes away the supposed pressure of journaling in that only a sentence or two a day will suffice.  And, honestly - that's perfect, because it's the little things that matter.

Ideally, I enter the funny quotes from my seven year old or even something so mundane as what we had for dinner.  What matters is the entry, not the critical acclaim of the content.  Having read my grandmother's journals, I can assure you this is true.  We care about the little things that happen in the lives of those we love, and how they create a domino effect tumbling toward our own lives.

This year I bought the Journal 10+ for my sister and, in a stroke of genius, for my seven year old daughter.  That probably seems a bit lofty, but I realized how neat it would be to see the progression of her handwriting (and the drama in her life) from age 7 to 17 - wow!  Plus, it's a perfect opportunity to begin now to instill the love of writing and journaling in her.

I keep separate journals that are less rigorous, more hit and miss and more lengthy (and therefore heartfelt) for both my daughters - the observations that I hope will be meaningful to them for years to come.  But the Journal 10+ is hands down the perfect tool for writing on a regular basis.  I've been writing in mine for three years, and it's already a great memento.  Plus, in case you're wondering, there are plenty of "carry-over" pages for days when the words flow beyond the obligatory sentence or two.

It's a fantastic product, and as an added benefit, their customer service is top notch.  There's my pitch for the week - go order one for yourself or a family member now, and stop procrastinating.  The people in your life care about what you have to say, as inept or ill-prepared to journal as you consider yourself.  Just get over it, and do it for others.  It will matter for generations to come, I promise.