Booking Through Thursday: Writing in Books, Part Two

A couple weeks ago, we asked about how you take care of your books, with one of the questions asking whether you write in your books. Well, what about books that are meant to be written in? Like, say, a journal or diary? Do you keep one? Obviously, if you're answering this, you have a blog--do you just let your blog be your journal? Or do you also keep one for private stuff also?

Journals are a women's tradition. If our American history texts were written from these sources, our country would most likely be different. Our foremothers from the Mayflower (the foremothers about which I have the most knowledge) kept journals. They had agreements with one another that upon the death of one, another would come to their home, find the journal and destroy it (usually by fire, which leaves no trace).

Journals are confidential. I would categorize blogs as public commentary: writing that we don't mind others read. People reading my blog can easily conclude what my political and religious beliefs are. But they won't be reading my journal.

I keep journals periodically: during tremendous times of stress or during transitional times. They are in several hand written books. When I lived in Connecticut I had a network of friends to whom I vowed to destroy their journals upon their death. They gave me the same vow to destroy my journals, unread, on my death.

We also swore that my move to Vermont would never destroy our bonds of friendship, but it did. But Sue, my friend since 5th grade, is in Vermont. She can now function as my "journal-burner" and I can do so for her, continuing our centuries old feminine tradition.

Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to reading the discussion this week on this topic!

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