Yesterday my friend Russell sent me a lovely journal from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Each week of the journal is accompanied by a painting by an impressionist painter, but the days of the week -- Monday to Sunday -- are blank. They are meant to be filled with notations, events, to-do lists, invitations and all the other things that go into making up the days of our lives. As I opened the journal yesterday and looked at the blank pages, I wondered what sort of entries I was going to fill into the pages. And then it occurred to me, it's entirely up to me how I fill the pages. 
Cottage in the DunesStanislas Henri Jean Gazin
(The week of March 7th to 13th)
Most of us go through our lives on autopilot. We go to work, we go home. We pay the bills, we buy groceries, we do all the necessary things we need to do in order to survive. The days, weeks, months, years pass this way. We call it taking care of business. Any of the joyful things we manage to do are usually extraneous, and usually -- only -- if we have enough money left over to do them. Hobbies, vacations, concerts, movies, parties, museums, a day at the water park, these are all special things we do -- luxuries, as it were. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could fill the pages of our journals with one of these things every day, or at least every week?
As I looked at the blank pages of my journal, I decided I didn't want to fill them with "went to work ... went home". One day I would like to look back at the pages of my journal and see that I actually had some fun -- at least occasionally. Maybe it won't be every day, but it would be reassuring to see that I was able to punctuate the boring, humdrum days with some fun and perhaps even some excitement.
How would you fill the blank pages of your journal?
I have an appointment book for the mundane, but I love to buy beautiful datebooks and than use them as gratitude journals. It's amazing how your life changes when you look for things to be grateful for each and every day. I dearly treasure my gratitude journals.
ReplyDeleteJohnina :^D
Well, you have two days to fill in - April 28 & 29 - you're going to a wedding with me, remember? And you can fill in my birthday, too - Oct 6! lol You sure have a good friend in Russell for him to send you a journal filled with such beautiful art (my favourite type, too!)
ReplyDeleteLike to many people I wish I had kept a journal. Since the age of 21 until a few years ago we had some great days. Married to a military man took me lots of places and met many different peoples. After he retired we spent seven years in the middle east...that was really something to journal about...
ReplyDeleteSo sweet of Russell to send you such a nice gift! Just move to South Louisiana and then everyday will be a fun day! :)
ReplyDeleteCottage in the dunes is just gorgeous. I love those kind of rustic paintings.
ReplyDeleteI would fill mine with all the milestones I meet in gaining better health. Today, though, it's a doctor's appointment for a biopsy. Not so much fun...
ReplyDeleteI have a calender hanging on my wall, each month has a beautiful painting of a women reading. I write an activity in for each day. Sometimes its "go to a concert," sometimes its "read a good book," or "soak in a hot bath." Big or small, its a way it remind me to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI've begun a journal so many times I cannot count. I always have the best intentions and then peter out. They are filled with my thoughts or events of the day. I wish I'd kept up with them as I've had/am having an "interesting" life. Not perfect, but definitely interesting.
ReplyDeleteJo, your blog is a beautiful journal, and it's always filled with thoughts that reflect your life! :)
ReplyDelete