Journal of the Fall

I've journalized in an essay book (you know the kind that are compact without spirals and perforations - "composition" books they are called) for the past four years around this time of year. Autumn to late autumn, generally closer to Thanksgiving than it is today, I've monitored my emotions and circumstances. With no intention to make it regular, I started journalizing in 2006 in a dark period of my life which now represents a watershed of life perception and station. It's through these annual benchmarks by which I now, in part, can review my jouney. This year, finding that I anticipated once again repeating this practice, I thought I would try to extend it onto this blog. Nevermind! Those journals are private, but there are things beside dark, intimate or private matters for which I don't resist scrutiny. Things that can uplift, perhaps. So this post is perhaps the first of others.

This blog was started originally because I've written a lengthy memory of my grandparents, my parents and their families. I wrote it conscious of the times in which they lived. Because it affects many in my family, I've deleted the original memoir letting it remain idle until I'm confident my words properly hue my people and their times. Needless to say, the exercise left me pensive and melancholy (something I experience anyway this time of year) and with the yearning for the bygone "music of their lives which was like a fine symphonic work complete with heartbreaking melody and the harsh dissonance of percussion, fading now, lingering and faint, but echoing in the hearts of those who heard".

Much had to be examined in that writing exercise through which I transited tears and laughter. Mostly, I wanted to feel good about my people without coating them with syrup. When I pick that writing up again, perhaps I will know if I accomplished that.

If the sister blogs to this are read, perhaps some picture of my life will emerge. Knowing that those writings are mostly darker, I'm hoping to blog here with the brighter aspect of my life. I will, if some thing bubbles up to be written, continue to post my poetry and stories there. Here though, I'll make every attempt to be upbeat.

Should anyone choose to follow this, thank you.