I started journaling somewhere around my 16th birthday thanks to a very influential English teacher who somehow got me to apply to the University of Penn Young Writers Workshop.

I have journaled most of the last 30 years, though I do have a substantial gap in the early years of my daughter’s life.

I have always had the belief— and much of this may be from my attitude and frame of mind—that each journal begins and ends as a specific chapter. That each volume signifies a certain time period or life event more than a chronological record.

I would also never artificially fill a journal. Each much come to a close naturally.

Yesterday was my birthday and I finished my G journal. Today I moved on to H.

I am very excited. The G journal started in November. It came after the F journal which covered the time period around the end of my marriage. The E journal— or the E-book as Mr. Accordion calls it—brought me to my new employer and new career field.

The G journal covered the holidays, changes in interpersonal relationships, a shift in how my daughter and I communicate, an improvement in how my soon-to-be ex-husband and I interact (and I feel like we are rebuilding our friendship), the beginning of the stressful situation at work, and Covid-19.

Now I feel like hopefully, the pain and struggle will perhaps be more of a journey and time of growth.

May is finally warm. Flowers are finally blooming.

And today at 1 pm — my boss approved my vacation. Stay tuned for more fun.