Write Every Day Down

Since I turned the pages of my calendar to 2024, the only new habit I have attempted to implement has been writing one line (or a short few) in a 5-year journal. A friend of mine started this practice a few years ago and has talked about the gift of being able to look back over the years and see the ways that she has changed, the prayers that have been answered, and look back on special memories.

I thought I’d give it a try.

I used to be an avid journal-writer. My journal was always full of song ideas, reflections on scripture, prayers, random things my brain was trying to hash out, and emotions I was trying to process. I have probably 20 or more journals in a box in my basement.
But since I have had babies, this regular rhythm of my day has gone by the way-side. Sadly, I have had the same journal for a few years now, with most entries months apart and containing either a few semi-coherent sentences about my day or the beginnings of a random to-do list because I must not have had other paper near by.

I was hoping that this 5-year journal of jotting down only one line a day would help me get back into the practice of writing again, using paper and pen as a framework to remember my days.

I am only 17 days in, but I have successfully filled out 17 days in this journal. So far so good.
It was late as I was writing my entry for last night. I honestly didn’t really want to fill it out. I just wanted to be able to get er’ done to be able to check it off my mental checklist and then go to sleep. Lacking any inspiration I just started writing down the “what” of my day.

”Libby had a field trip. Hallie and Jack went to their cousins house to play. I had a chiro appointment and enjoyed a coffee and a book in the waiting room. I had a hard and meaningful conversation with a friend.”

As I scribbled these out, I realized that this was just the outline of my day.
As my day played back in my minds eye, I began to remember the sweet conversations that my daughter and niece had in the car as we drove to their field trip and the joy that filled my heart as they talked with one another. I also remembered the frustration I felt as my eldest expressed her upset at the traffic we encountered going to pick up her cousin, and the feeling of helplessness that comes with being stuck behind a line of cars with no where to go. I remembered the way Libby’s face lit up when I came to watch her as she finished up her field trip at the gymnastics centre and the way her smile filled her whole little face as she waved relentlessly when she saw me.

I remembered the way Hallie came down the stairs during bedtime announcing that I hadn’t given her a hug. The way that she wrapped her little arms around my neck and then bounded back up the stairs to her daddy waiting for her with story books.

I remembered the taste of hot ginger tea and peach cobbler as I sat with my friend who opened her heart to me and invited me into her story.

I remembered the familiar smell of my husband as I snuggled up to him on the couch later that evening and put my head upon his chest.

This remembering brought back the melody of a song by Singer-Songwriter, Jason Upton, called, “Write Every Day Down.”
I hum the tune to myself on nearly a daily basis, and those four words often reverberate through my soul.

Write Every Day Down…

Our days… the seconds that make up minutes, and hours… they make our lives.
The beautiful parts…the horrendous parts. The joyful moments, the heart-breaking ones too.
All woven together to create this tapestry that is our life.

My mama will often ask me about memories from the past. “Hey, Do you remember….?”
And Honestly? More often than not, I just shake my head.
Maybe that’s normal. Maybe the moments we each remember are different based on the meaning we attribute to it.
But maybe I am also guilty of rushing so fast though the seconds and minutes and hours, that my days just become a blur. Having little people at home, I understand the cliche saying that “the days are long but the years are short.” I know the exhaustion that can set in when you are caring for the needs of others 24 hours a day, and the energy it takes to even try to answer the question, “how are you,?” in an honest way, let alone trying to sit down and mentally process all of the emotions and moments from a day.

.. but as I have started this practice?
Friends, it is so wonderfully worth it. Yes - honestly, I more often than not would prefer to just turn on Netflix and zone out, rather than zone in-to the emotions and thoughts I have carried with me through my day, but this practice is cultivating a deep gratitude within me, awakening my spirit to the presence of God throughout my minutes, and opening my eyes to truly see the people that are in front of me. I am recognizing emotions I usually bury, and learning to still and steady this ever wandering heart of mine.

And instead of feeling overwhelmed at the end of a long day of toddlers demands and insane antics, I can usually lay my head down on my pillow chuckling to myself about a memory the day and remind myself that “I get to” love on my sweet little people again tomorrow.

I don’t know what marks your days. Maybe its little feet in footy pyjamas. Or big kids who you feel like should still be in footy pyjamas.
Maybe your days start and end with a commute that brings you to an office, or school, or hospital.
Maybe you are just trying to get through your days right now… or you are desperately trying to  hold onto the ones you have.

Can I invite you to try journaling for one line a day too? You don’t have to buy a fancy journal. Any notebook will do. (I say this… but for those of you who write… or have a weird journal addiction… I understand that the right journal and pen really do help in this whole process)

One of the spiritual practices that I have wanted to implement in my own life and in the collective life of my family is the Daily Examen, and starting this journalling exercise for me has begun the journey.

The Daily Examen is an ancient spiritual practice that comes from St. Ignatius. It is a prayerful reflection that looks back on the events of the day to help us take notice of God’s presence with us in our every day moments.
This 5-step reflection can look something like this:

1.Becoming aware of God’s presence
2. Reviewing the day with gratitude
3. Pay attention to your emotions from the day
4. Choosing a moment from the day and praying through it
5. Looking forward to tomorrow.

In this season with little people, to do an extensive version of this spiritual practice is just too much. But modifying it to write just one or a few lines from each day and sit with what I have written in prayer has been incredibly freeing and fruitful for me.

Join me?