Keeping A Journal

[Pearl]

I was wondering: how old is too old to keep a journal? I'm 29 and I've been keeping a journal religiously since I was 12. I write almost everyday in my latest one. I do it because I adore writing, I like to sort out my day, write about my hopes and fears, and prepare for the next day.

But some days I feel like I am far too old to keep at this. I mean, how many grown adults do this? Even my mother thinks its odd that I still write in a journal.

So, am I too old? Does anyone know someone who does this too despite their age?

 

[financeguy]

I've never kept a journal myself, I prefer to remember things in my own way. But I think you should do what it pleases you to do.

Samuel Pepys didn't ask for permission to continue writing his journal.

 

[Pearl]

I know Kurt Cobain had one from the early 80s until he died.

Its just that I don't know anyone else who keeps a journal into their adult years. When I was in high school, a few of my friends had theirs. But my friends now don't have any, so I tend to wonder if there is anyone else besides famous people who keep journals beyond high school and college.

 

[financeguy]

Why does it matter what your friends do? In any case, anyone who posts on an internet forum is, in a sense, keeping a journal.

 

[Pearl]

Hmm, that's one way of seeing it!

 

[MsPurrl]

Go for it, Pearl! I don't keep a journal, but I'm thinking of starting one at my ripe old age (WAY over 29!).

 

[corianderstem]

I was wondering: how old is too old to keep a journal?

It is never too old to write down your thoughts.

You might be too old to decorate your journal with hearts and flowers and unicorns and "I love Duran Duran" .... actually, no. You're never too old to keep a journal and write whatever you damn well please.

People keep journals for various reasons. Some people continue to document their hopes and dreams. some people do it to help themselves work through tough stuff. Some people do it to vent. Some people do it to brainstorm ideas.

Even my mother thinks its odd that I still write in a journal.

I know what I'd say to my mom if she ever said anything like this to me. Seriously, wtf?

 

[ryancoke71]

Many people blog, which is sort of a way to keep track of your thoughts. I'm with everyone else, go for it!

 

[Sicy]

I kept journals from elementary school all the way until my mid 20s and then for some reason I just stopped. I wish I would have kept it up because its kinda neat to go back and read them and remember all the things that happened in your life, down to little things that you would have otherwise never remembered.

 

[Pearl]

Thanks everyone!

I know what I'd say to my mom if she ever said anything like this to me. Seriously, wtf?

She's not mean or rude about it; my mom isn't that type. Its just that one time we were in B&N and I bought a new journal, and when she saw that, she was kind of like this: I guess she found it surprising that I still keep a journal at my age.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I used to have a diary when I was a kid, one of those locked ones. I just thought it was cool that it had a lock. I've always liked the idea of journals but I'm too lazy. I do think it's great, in the days we live in of texting and net obsession and all of it, that anyone still hand writes anything like that. Especially something so personal.

I say there is no age and do whatever you want

 

[cobl04]

I wrote in one every day we were in America last year.

 

[Pearl]

I do think it's great, in the days we live in of texting and net obsession and all of it, that anyone still hand writes anything like that. Especially something so personal.

I say there is no age and do whatever you want

Thanks, Mrs S

I also greatly value hand-writing things. I still hand write my food shopping list, my schedule in a planner rather on the computer. Its tempting to type everything into my iPhone, but what if it went kaput? Even so, I do enjoy writing and I see it as an art.

 

[Rachel D.]

My uncle is 61 and he keeps a journal and makes scrapbooks.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

One thing that's cool about journals, you never know when they can randomly help you remember the most obscure detail. I did keep a journal on the first trip I took to Ireland, and I could never remember where this most beautiful little church was that I had visited. It had a Connemara marble altar.

I was going through my stuff a few months back and I found the journal and there was the name of the church and where it was. There was also a page missing that I had torn out when I ranted about my mother after I had a fight with her on the trip

 

[Thora]

As a kid I always had a diary, and I wrote in that a LOT, up until I got a computer and was able to type faster than I could write. I've had a blog for a long time where I spew out all sorts of stuff, so it's still kinda like keeping a diary/journal. However, I keep the really personal stuff in my drafts or saved on my computer, since I don't need to share EVERYTHING on the internet, where anyone could find it.

 

[last unicorn]

I' ve hardly ever heard of anyone who stopped keeping a journey because of age. Many famous people. writers for example, or painters, musicians, or even politicians, are known for having kept journals all their lives. This is certainly not a question of age. I started to write into journals when I was about 10 years old and I haven't stopped since. I have dozens of journals and I never lost one or thrown one away. I still document everything whenever I find the time. It's totally carthatic, I cannot live without it. I also need to be remembered of my handwriting, it's something that I don't want to lose because of working on the computer so much. My handwriting reflects on my personality and also on my mood on a certain day, it's very important to me. I don't think anyone should stop keeping a journal just because other people say they are too old for it. If it helps you to deal with things in your life, I don't see any reason why you should not do it. Keeping a journal can really help to find some relief in times of distress.

 

[Cactus Annie]

I firmly believe that you should carry on writing a journal for as long as you wish. I'm your age, 29 and I've got loads and loads of notebooks. Do you still have your old journals? I'm in the process of moving house and you forget how many you have. I had a quick flick through some of them and it is interesting to see what my current interests were from 2005, 1999,1994, etc,etc.

I use my journals to express emotion, take notes from TV documentaries, short dialogues, lists and ideas. Don't let anyone tell you that you're ever too old to write a journal.

 

[Pearl]

Thanks last unicorn and Cactus Annie. Its a relief to know that I'm not alone.

 

[last unicorn]

If it helps you, just keep on doing it, there's no reason to give up something you like and need just because others may say so. I believe many people are keeping a diary, not everyone is openly speaking about it.

 

[mysterious_jen]

I have kept a journal from when I was about 12 and I'm sure it has saved my life on a few occasions. I still write but no where near as often as I should due to time constraints. I have them all in a box and now even have made provision for them in my will to be left to my daughter. Not because they are brilliant examples of academia but because I hope she can learn from my mistakes. Without my journals there are so many things I would never remember , so many emotions in those pages many I can't bare to read. A few pages missing of things I would never want any one to know. Anyway keep writing , some decent self reflection on paper is a beautiful thing.