The Long Lost Journal

A few years ago I gave my best girlfriend a cool leather binder and wrote in the first few pages about how I would like us to fill all the pages with wonderful memories of our friendship. Soon after I gave it to her I forgot it and so did she she.


I've mentioned that I am staying with her while we are in Florida and this morning Evan walked into my room and handed me this bright green journal and said "Auntie Mel told me to give this to you." I looked at it and told him to give it back to her, that it was hers. So my obedient child (most of the time anyway) walked back into the kitchen and gave the book back to her. A minute or so went by and he was back. "Auntie Mel say to read it." I did and would like to share a portion of what she wrote with you.


Dear Tavia,

This journal has been sitting on my bedside table for over two years. You are resolved from not reading "The Boy who cried Wolf" (another lesson for another day) because I just opened this and found what you wrote. I never knew you wrote anything in it to me. I was saving it for when I had something important to write. I picked it up this morning to start writing letters to Philip in it...I honestly didn't realize that you gave it to me with the intention of us writing back and forth to each other. I'm sorry! It is such a lovely journal and I really wanted to save it for something special. You know, isn't that kinda how life is? We don't do something or attempt something because we are waiting for the "perfect moment." I usually end up missing that moment completely or my expectations are not met because I've over thought the moment. We end up missing the good stuff because we try to control the outcome too much. I guess I finally get the saying, "JUST DO IT!" It is like the old, "I can't start my diet today because it is Wednesday. I have to wait until Monday," when in the meantime I could have lost a pound or two. What is wrong with that picture? Saving the "cute" outfit to wear just to put it on and find out the baby has outgrown it. Saying to a friend, "We MUST go to lunch. I want to spend time with you," and then six months go by before you even call them again.
Shouldn't we just start jumping in without worrying about what is under the water sometimes?...I hope we fill every page of this book. The last one to die gets to be buried with it!!

Mel

I hope we fill in the pages with spontaneous moments and new adventures. I want to jump in, take off, let go. What about you?