taste life twice

Ever since I was young, I have received journals as gifts. My family and friends know me well enough to know that I will never tire of ripping through gift wrap to get to my new treasure. It's the place where I can write down all my thoughts, dreams, and secrets on its empty pages. Through the years I have accumulated a huge collection of these little, bound books. They sit neatly in their comfy hiding place. A place I sometimes visit when I want to go back in time.

Sometimes it's embarrassing to turn the pages, sometimes it's saddening, and sometimes it brings a smile to my face. Every page holds a lesson. Every page holds a captured moment in time, so perhaps if my memory fails me, the words will paint a vivid image or give me the feeling all over again. I fell in love with writing down my thoughts and my experiences due to this reason, and also for the way it's therapeutic for me.

My latest journal was from my mom. It's a little blue book with this quote on the cover, "We write to taste life twice." Author, Anaïs Nin is the mind behind the words. It's simple, yet describes my love for writing better than I ever could.

So tonight, I climb into my bed, turn on my twinkly Christmas lights, and write. Who knows when I will want to look back on this chapter in my life?