The Friend magazine is written for children to age 12.
It is a favorite of mine.
I still subscribe and my children are all adults.
In 2012, starting in January, I noted a spot called 'Journal Junction'. It suggests: Each month this year you can write a little bit of your own history in your journal.
I checked out past issues and realized I have been ignoring the feature with thoughts like, "yeah - I keep a journal" or "I don't feel like writing about that" and "maybe I will write about that sometime".
There are great suggestions there. The suggestions this year seem more personal and have raised some questions in my mind about myself, and suggested if I don't know to ask my parents. I thought, "My parents are aging. How much longer will I be able to ask them my questions?"
Here is a sample of the questions on Journal Junction in 2012.
January: When is your birthday? What city were you born in? Were you born in a hospital, a house, or another place? Was it day or night? You can ask your parents if you don’t know, and you can write down other details they remember about your special day.
February: This month write about your first memory. What was the memory of? Do you know how old you were at the time? Do you remember seeing something, or is your memory of a noise or a smell? Write down how the memory makes you feel.
March: This month write about the first place you lived. Did you live in a big city or in the country? Were you in a house or an apartment? What was your room like? You can ask your parents if you don’t know, and you can write down other details they remember about your first home.
Do you know the answers to all these questions?
Can you ask your parents (or perhaps another relative if not)?
What age are your parents?
What else can they tell you?
My cell phone has a 'record' feature.
With their permission I use it all the time.
I record our conversations.
I have learned SO MUCH I didn't know.
Thank you Journal Junction.
I will try to do better.
I will try to be more like the children.
I think I will get to work on a history of myself!
