I figured you’d been purging, too. It’s hard to figure, isn’t it? But at least we’re trying!

Yes, indeed it does, dear friend.

I always have pasted in items, write with a variety of instruments, choreograph the written word, add stuff to make the page sing. It’s also the place where I add odd bits that I don’t want to throw out, but have no where else to go (ie-some Summer of Dad bits) – yet it is more a journal with embellishments rather than scrapbooking of a journal. Interesting delineation, wouldn’t you agree?!
Enjoy your new creative venture into journaling, Tierney.

Okay 🙂
I saw some amazing journaling examples of a friend’s journal and she really got me interested it making the kind of journal that is like a mini scrapbook.

I sincerely hope you can salvage what you can. Those you can’t, let them go! Perhaps, easier said than done. But really, the most important and cherished memories of/created with our loved ones will forever live in our hearts until the day we die. I hope this offers a little bit of consolation.

Great input!
Proves the point of being mindful in whatever decision is made: ‘right or wrong’. I’ve done too many deletes in a fit of frustration or need for space, ya know? Morrison’s take is how I feel about mindful purging – it really does allow for more creative freedom – perhaps based upon past creations but allowed by necessity to improvise…

I remember Lennon admonishing his Aunt Mimi for throwing away some early sketches and things that he’d done, “It will be worth something one day.”
Whereas Morrison, on losing his earlier poetry books, believed that this allowed him to be original.

Oh wow – toxic photos and important documents. Very sobering. Thank you for adding your experiences to my questions, Cheryl.

Please don’t let my misfortune or our collective concerns about amassing volumes of journals cause you to hesitate in following through with journaling!!! The benefits far outweigh any consequences of having them as a faithful companion over the years!!!