I was reading through my journal entries from January of last year, and I came across the following entry and remembered that I had written it up as a blog post, and it seemed to fit this year, too.
After three snow days delayed the beginning of school this year, this prolonged vacation is over. I've loved every minute, even if I didn't always feel productive.
But that's okay. Sometimes the most "unproductive" times are the most memorable. In a month, I'm not going to remember all that time I didn't spend on that essay. What I will recall is the way Natalia sings "Redeemed" and "Let it Go" into her little microphone. The way Abbie laughs while trying to blow out birthday candles. The way Chloe loves to cuddle while watching movies. The way the boys get each other going just to sit down 10 minutes later and trade sports cards. The conversations my cousin Tia and I had each night in Canada before falling asleep at 2:00 am. The way Ne-Ne, my grandmother, bustles about while Grampie swaps stories with their three children.
All of that is what I will remember, and that is what I want to remember forever, once school is over and grades fade into a distant, unimportant memory. Once I am far away at college and don't see my family every day.
These things matter, these memories, more than any grade or stress or online game or Facebook update.
This is what I will choose to remember.
And you know what? It's true. I have no idea what essay I was talking about or what things were stressing me out then, but I do remember every single one of those precious memories that I wrote down. Now that I am "far away at college", I treasure the memories that I have made and I am so glad for all the times that I set aside whatever pressing things I was working on to spend time with people.
P.S. To celebrate my Etsy shop being open one year today, I am having a sale! 20% off your purchase from now until next Tuesday with the coupon code "celebrate".
I love this. I remember one of my friends telling me that she only wrote down the positive aspects of her life in her journals, because those happy memories were all that she cared to remember. I've always preferred to have a realistic portrayal of my life (with all my adolescent over-dramafication!), but I admit the thought is a lovely one.
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of that. While I understand why someone would choose to record only positive memories, I do think it's important to be able to look back and see how I have changed or how far I have come.
ReplyDeleteI agree. However, it was certainly in interesting idea.
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