The Journaler in the Journey

by Mary Hancock
(Alpharetta, Georgia)

As a teacher, I am well aware of the issues in our culture affecting families and, especially, children.

We raised 3 children born within 5 years and I was always headstrong about inculcating into them a spirit of belief in themselves that challenges were opportunities and that things will work out.

As a personal self help tool, I used a little notebook and jotted down details or personal observations of big events in each of their lives as they were growing up. For example, my son had no idea that the lead role in a 3rd grade play was going to be so challenging.

My oldest daughter sang at a graduation and to this day, she hardly remembers it and can't believe she would ever do that.

My youngest daughter was always asked to befriend someone that was having a hard time fitting in or was a boy that no one wanted to sit next to or be in a group with in school.

The descriptions of these events or challenges consisted of their observations or fears and accomplishments in each of these struggles.

My notes also consisted of my views or lessons learned as they experienced these things. I knew I would use my notes to remind myself of their pasts and to encourage and inspire the growth of faith in themselves when newer challenges showed up in each of their lives. It became a testimony of things working out and their working through things and succeeding.

Today, their ages are 21, 24, and 26. They don't know it, but those struggles keep getting bigger along with their responsibilities. A notebook of their lives' intersections is still getting written.