While perusing through my copy of the Oprah magazine this month, I ran across this little nugget of an article called “The Five-Moment Memoir” (by Sarah Beauchamp) that I just haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
Basically, the gist of the article is that the author, in a time of desperate need in her life, started writing down a list of just 5 things that happened to her each day–the five high and low moments, if you will. She talks about how this practice has helped her to de-stress every day and also rekindle hope as she’s been able to see her growing story (and growing self) over time.
I used to be a huge journaler. I say “used to be” because ever since I got married (and started blogging more hardcore), I basically only write in my journal when something happens that is too big/scary/personal/depressing to put on the blog. In short, I now only journal about once a month.
But this concept of a five-moment memoir has me truly intrigued–surely I can find five minutes each night before bed to write down five things that happened to me that day. And since my blog only represents about 20% of my life, don’t I want to remember at least some of the other 80% too?
Basically what I’m saying is that I want to start trying this out.
For some reason, I’m a little bit apprehensive. Maybe because I don’t want to fail yet again at keeping up on my journal. Or maybe it’s because I think sometimes that I DON’T want to remember a lot of the lows I’ve been having lately (and the highs usually make it onto my blog anyway).
Do you ever feel like that? Apprehensive about starting a new goal, I mean?
Anyway, if I were to do a five-moment memoir for today up to this point (just before 2 PM), it would say:
1. Shakily drove through the snow this morning on the way to work; it was so cold that the snow was immediately freezing into large sheets of ice on my windshield, impairing visibility.
2. After a total meltdown last night due to teaching stress, I was determined to find more support at my school, so I sought out another semi-new teacher at lunch and felt relieved that for once, I didn’t feel as alone in my ambivalent feelings toward teaching.
3. Enjoyed my husband’s first (scrumptious) attempt at making a green smoothie this morning.
4. Got 5 kids sent to the principal’s office after a particularly awful intervention time.
5. Made myself feel vulnerable by admitting my fears to my fellow Language Arts teachers, and then felt totally relieved that they tried to relate instead of judging.
Whoo! Feel better already 🙂
What would you include in your five-moment memoir for today?
(Photo taken on our last photo walk to Cutler Marsh. I’ll post more soon.)