The Thoughts Journal

For a while I have been visiting a particular park, walking down a particular path and finding myself sitting on the same particular bench. And I'll think. I'll pray. And I'll just take in the outdoors, marveling at how big this world is and how small I am.

About a week ago my friend told me that the very bench I've been visiting opens up and holds a Thoughts Journal. For over a year random people have written their thoughts inside. Oh friends, you do not understand the joy I felt learning this! The very next day I went to that park and had to hold myself back from running to the journal. It is totally English Major Geek of me to be so excited about a journal. However, if you didn't know, I've kept a journal since I was 12-years-old, so journals just have a special place in my heart. Well, writing in general does.

So back to that day I went to visit the journal. I walked down the path, and even though no one was around, I held back from running. As I quickly walked, I saw my familiar bench and sure enough, the journal was inside the bench. I sat and read all the pages, finding it funny that this unique journal today, was what people did a lot more before the Internet. It was like a blog. But with pen. And paper. Imagine that. I saw my friend's entry and then I began to write my own. Of course, it being the last day of November - it was a bit cold outside - so the pen's ink froze or dried out, I guess. So mid entry I had to stop writing. I had to go all the way to my car, get a pen (a journalist always has a writing utensil) and then go all the way back to the bench to finish. It was humorous.

This journal made me realize two things. One, I hope things like writing with a pen and paper never leaves our world. There's something beautiful about the literal written language and as awesome as computers are, they are stealing that beauty sometimes. Two, the excitement I felt when walking toward that journal is similar to the excitement that has been building up inside me as I anticipate heaven. I can't wait. It's something I haven't had in years and I'm so glad God has been instilling that feeling in me. I want it to be where I can't hold back any longer, that my joy and love for Jesus just runs free.