Let me encourage you to keep a journal of your cancer experiences. Whether you have just been diagnosed or, are in remission, this journal will remind you of where you are NOW--what your are feeling and how you are feeling. Every day of your life is worthy of description particularly during this time with cancer. Long term it provides an invaluable reminder of your resilience.
Journaling lets you think about what is happening. Cancer is a struggle that we are compelled to examine and try to understand.
Writing provides a safety valve for the roller-coaster of emotions cancer brings. Here we can complain--whine--question--rand and rave--without losing all our friends. No one needs to see what you have written. It is for your eyes only.
And it will help you in decision making--sorting through confusion and clarifying your thoughts
Look at some testimonies from famous people:
Grahm Greene said "Writing is a form of therapy--sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, the melancholia, the panic fear which is inherent in the human situation."
Alexander Johnson said: "A journal is how memory and meaning finally meet, finding a core image that begins to unlock important connections in a life."
You may even become so fond of your journal you will agree with Oscar Wilde who said, "I never travel without my journal. One should always have something sensational to read on the train".
There are many ways of journaling. Would anyone share an experience or style of journaling that is helpful to them?
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You are right, Judy, even if you aren't a cancer patient or survivor, journaling is great. A journal is different than a diary. A diary records data, but a journal records our thoughts and feelings about what's happening to us or what we've heard or read.
ReplyDeleteI use a loose leaf book and divide it into three sections. The three sections should include a dated journal section for daily (or periodic) writing, a section with scripture pages (listed by books of the Bible) for reflection while reading the Bible, and an alphabetical section for reflection on various subjects, such as aging, children, grace, kingdom, love, prayer, and violence.
The advantage to this type journal is that you can cross reference it as you journal. If, while writing in the dated journal section, you realize that your thoughts relate to a specific scripture, you can turn to the page for that book in the Bible and make a note to reference the dated journal entry for that day. Then later when you are looking for thoughts pertaining to that scripture, you know where to go to find your thoughts. Likewise, as you are reading a scripture and find that your thoughts relate to a specific subject, you can turn to a page in the subject section and title the page by that subject and make a note to turn to your writings in the specific scripture reference. These may be cross referenced back and forth. This eliminates having to reread pages of journal notes to find something that you “thought” you wrote in the past. It also serves as a reference when you need to write or teach or speak on a specific subject or scripture.
Just wanted to share this type of journal.