Why I Keep a Journal

"I love to write. I love to draw. Now I see writing and drawing as one -
inseperable from each other. A drawing by itself can not tell the whole
story. I look back at drawings I’ve made in my college sketchbooks and
wish I would have understood what I now practice. I wish those drawing
had been accompanied with thoughts of how I felt about what I drew,
where I was, what I was thinking about, etc. In the same way, I wish my
written journals had included drawings. Especially my travel journal
from my trip to Italy. It is one of my biggest regrets, as I didn’t
visually record my trip in any way except slides. Someday I hope to
redo my Europe Journal as an illustrated journal. So now, here I am,
well on my way to completing my second illustrated journal. It is part
of my life now. I take my journal everywhere. And in the few situations
where I have left it behind, I often scrounge around to find some kind
of surface to draw on, an envelope, a napkin, a receipt…whatever I
can find. Life is more exciting. I am more fulfilled and happier and
less stressed. I have found inspiration in my illustrated blogging
friends online. I have been blogging myself for nearly 8 months. I
share my drawings, my experiences, my life with whoever comes across it
and I have discovered that I have become an inspiration to many
people…even people I do not even know. As the years go by, I will
look back through my journals and remember the moments I have recorded
in them. One day my kids, maybe my grandkids, will read them and know
more about who I am and what I did and how I felt. They will not forget
me."

Julie’s Journal