Comments on: Burn Them or Cherish Them? What to Do With Old Journals

By: Writer

Writer — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:10:00 +0000

I love that – I would also much rather have my grandkids reading the intimate details of my life rather than my own children. Maybe I won’t burn them all…

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 05:12:40 +0000

Oh I can really relate to this post! I am 26 this year (2010), and I too am deathly worried that in the event of an untimely death for me, my parents will read my journals (20 volumes over the past 10 years, since I started when I was 16), and I have instructed my best friend to go to my house where I store them and take them away. I haven’t written much NEGATIVE things in there, but I sure have written some TRASHY things, involving various dalliances with certain men and boys in my life. Stuff I’d rather not have my parents know about. BUT, I will never ever burn them or throw them away, because it is my intention someday to pass them onto my grandson or granddaughter when they become of age, maybe in their 20s. I wouldn’t feel comfortable to give them to my children because that relationship is a little too close, but grandchildren are another matter. Just think of how cool it would be if when you reached your mid 20s, your grandmother or grandfather gave you a whole set of books about his/her life, and you got to see what they were like, what they did, and what the world was like when they were your age. Even if your grandmother was slightly trashy… Hell, I’d probably like my grandma more after reading something like that! So that’s my plan. Now I just have to figure out how to survive and help my children survive so I have some grandkids to give these journals to!

By: BCOT

BCOT — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:36:56 +0000

hehehehehehe…funny. Because I was just looking at some old journals and wondering if I should keep or throw away. I’m afraid that when I die…someone might read something I wouldn’t want. Hopefully, I will not die any time in the near future.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:50:51 +0000

Great post Amiee. I too, don’t know what to do with my collection of journals. I’ve been journaling since I was 8. My most prolific journaling period was from the age of 17-22, exactly when I don’t want anyone reading my thoughts, escapades, etc. lol. I like looking back over them to see how far I’ve come in my personal/emotional development, why I am the way I am. They also tend to be intertwined with my travels, so I definitely like to keep those journals. To conclude, I have no idea what I’ll do with them!

By: Candice

Candice — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:00:48 +0000

Funny, my friend JUST posted a blog entry like this. Impressive collection of journals! I’ve been journalling since I was six, actually, and I find it incredibly amusing/humbling to look back on my life over the years.

I actually want people to read mine when (ugh, hate saying this) I pass on…I don’t know why, as like you said, I only journal when I’m unhappy and those entries are never, ever flattering for anyone. But I feel like it’d explain all the ups and downs, y’know?

By: Maya

Maya — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:04:47 +0000

I keep my old diaries stored – some here at my place and the older ones at my parents’ house (I’m past the point of thinking, or caring, that they’ll read the old ones as it’s been a good while since they’ve been able to ground me

I love to look back on these and recall both the highs and lows. It especially helps when I am going through a rough time and think “how will I ever get through this?”. I look back at the times in the past where I wrote similar things and realize, “hey i did get through it and turned out just fine!”.

My dad did something really wonderful for my 21st bday (that didn’t involve alcohol!). He compiled his journal entries for the last 20 years that he’d written on my actual bday and put them together in a booklet. They were all rather reflective about the year and how I’d grown and remembering bdays past. It was one of my favorite gifts I’ve ever received b/c it was something so real and personal. This alone is enough to make me save my journals!

By: JoAnna

JoAnna — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:57:20 +0000

I must have at least 20 journals sitting in a trunk in my garage. Way back in the day I had many an entry like your tator tot note above, but I’ve definitely recorded some intensely personal entries since then. I think I’ll always keep them. If someone reads them someday, I think I’ll feel honored. I don’t mind if my life is an open book.

By: neha

neha — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:21:33 +0000

Great post! I never kept a diary as a kid because I was terrified my parents would find it and read it. Too many of my friends got into too much trouble over diaries.

I especially loved this part of the post – ‘I like to be reminded that at one point my life was simple, like at age 8 my journal entries usually went like this – Dear Diary, Woke up, went to school, had tater tots at lunch – they were good.’

By: Robyn

Robyn — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:00:48 +0000

I held on to boxes of journals for a long time until recently. They were such a sanctuary for me for years – a place to work out the internal drama. I seem not to use my journals as much for this anymore but still have one active and a few recent that I’ve kept. I’ve linked to my Journal Story which I posted earlier this year-
http://nomadneedles.wordpress.com/2009/04/28/psychological-side-of-parting-with-old-journals/

I remember actually feeling guilty for having to read Anne Frank’s diary in school. I thought it was such a betrayal of her privacy. Little did she know how her words would affect the world.