In My Early Teens ..

[Elina]

.. I kept a diary, looking back through it was really interesting to read about different events & how I thought about things/ viewed things from that time. At the start of 2016 ... now adult, would you contemplate logging a years events / thoughts ?

[Baldric]

Er, no, why would I?

[Elina]

So no Baldric, o.k.

[woofgang]

I did it as an adult continuously for 3 years. Stopped when my husband died, don’t want to read them, don’t want to do it again. I did keep diaries as a teenager, where they weren’t embarrassing they were boring so I burned then when I was in my twenties.

[Prudie]

I did that as a teen and it's very entertaining reading them now about boys at school when I've no recollection of what I was talking about!

On a serious note I did do it for about 4 years in adulthood during a very very unhappy time, it was almost cathartic but they are up in the loft and I still can't face re-reading them. Would I do it now? No because I'm happy.

[Elina]

Woof/ Prudie, we're continually changing in the way we evaluate things, I wish I'd kept my early diaries. If I had diaries now, I'd love to 're-read them. I'm thinking I will start one this year!

[Tilly2]

I had a five year diary. It began in 1964 and ended in 1968. It makes me cringe when I read some of my thoughts, ideas and antics. It's also stuffed full of letters, notes, scribbled poems, pressed flowers, newspaper articles and the like.

My friend keeps a daily journal. She writes in it every morning. Always uses her best fountain pen.

[Mosaic]

Maybe this is what blogs have taken over - and like diaries, people tend to start off with lots of entries then just peter out.
I was always hopeless with diaries, other than for listing appointments.

[-Talbot-]

Its not for me.

I struggle to put a post-it note on fridge and if I manage to get to a second paragraph on here ... I have to have a lie down!

[Mamyalynne]

As a teenager I kept a journal, wrote poems and other stuff and yes a bit cringe worthy but harmless.

Life got too busy when the children arrived so kept baby journals for them and all related school paraphernalia.

Then when my husband became very ill and subsequently died I returned to writing a daily journal - I feel I should destroy that one because it may upset my Daughters when they find it after my demise.

[Elina]

Tilly, did it have a pickable key so anyone could read it ;0) They're cringeworthy only because you were young ... and in love .. out of love ... angry .. emotional .. a kid! But great to 're-read!

[Tilly2]

It did have a lock and key. I kept the key in my school satchel.

[Elina]

Clarion ... bits of our own history on paper! Possibly more of a thing a female would think about doing .. a journal/ diary. But I think it's a fascinating thing to do.

[Elina]

Mosaic, you're probably right, the modern equivalent is a blog. So easily distracted then ..

[Jackdaw33]

I agree with Clarion. You live for your time. I thought the 60s were the cutting edge of technology. What is commonplace now at the time lay in the furthest reaches of science fiction.

[Elina]

Talbot, no not for you then lol.

[Elina]

Mamya, don't destroy your written memories. I think it may be upsetting for your children, but also will help them understand what exactly you went through at that time, all your emotions, how you dealt with stuff & no doubt how you coped and helped your children to cope x

[Mamyalynne]

You're probably right - maybe I'll attach a foreword addressed to them.

[Elina]

Tilly, so did mine, a thin gold metal bit of scrap that was of no use at all.

[Elina]

Jackdaw, I think there's moments in our lives where we're just too busy living it such as mamya said, having family. So interesting to capture bits of it though, too easy to forget snippets of life x