This post originally appeared on Monogrammed Magnolias
You know those days that start out the same as any other day, but when you look back you realize that one day changed the course of your life?
That’s how July 6, 2014 was for me. It was a Sunday much like every other Sunday in my life. I woke up fairly early to get dressed for church. I visited a different service to support a friend that day, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I was sitting about 10 pews back, on the left side. I had toys to keep my daughter entertained. My husband was on the other side of my daughter. We were listening to members of the congregation share their thoughts in a monthly testimony meeting. One woman got up and said something I’ve heard a million times – “I really should keep a journal, but…”
I honestly can’t remember the reason she gave for not keeping a journal. It didn’t really matter, either. Throughout my life I’ve heard every reason in the book. I’ve given every reason in the book. It’s just not convenient. I don’t have the time. Nothing significant happens in my life. I don’t want to try and write a whole page every day.
You see, I’m a terrible – terrible – journal writer. I kept a journal for an entire year once, just to prove to myself I could. Other than that, most of my life is documented in the form of forgotten memories lodged in a dark space in the back of my brain.
I never gave journaling much of a thought until my own grandmother passed away. She was a master story teller, and her death was rather sudden. When she passed away, I found myself longing to read her words – to hear her stories. Questions I’d never asked her or stories I’d love to hear again.
But I had nothing.
So, that summer morning three moments collided in my brain – longing for my grandmother’s stories, my own lack of discipline in writing, and a complete stranger saying words I’d heard a million times…
I really should keep a journal.
In that moment, inspiration hit me like a bolt of lightning. I grabbed a notebook out of my purse and started writing furiously. TextMyJournal was born in that moment.
I founded TextMyJournal with the hope that stories would be preserved easily. As TextMyJournal has grown, people have told me how they use the service to journal in so many unique ways. Some use it to document travel stories, others to remember the sweet (or sticky) moments of a newborn’s life. Still others use it to document small steps of being an entrepreneur.
What I’ve learned most is that we all have a story to tell. We all have moments that teach us, that stretch us, that make us grow. Those moments are worth remembering.
Remember your story. One moment could impact your personal history.
One day will change the course of your entire life.