My first real experience with writing was Mr. Miller’s eight grade English class at Clara Barton Junior High. We had to write a piece each week. He gave us the topic, and we did the writing. Later in the week some of us were asked to read our compositions to the class. I was asked to read a few times.
The only topic I recall is “The Main Cause of War Is…” We had to fill in the blank and expand on our answer. My short answer was “greed”. I thought that power and money drove men to be greedy and war helped them accomplish their goals. Sixty-two years later, my thoughts haven’t changed very much.
When I was a senior in high school my mom and I went through a difficult time. I was exploring new relationships with girls that were difficult for her to deal with. I was growing up, thinking about going off the college, and neither one of us was really ready. I think she was worried I’d make a poor decision and get myself into more trouble than I could handle. After several attempts to try to get me to change my ways, she asked for help. She reached out to my boss at the grocery store, C. J. Perry, and one of the priests at our parish, Father Thompson. She knew I liked them both.
They weren’t back-to-back meetings but were held within a few weeks of each other. She told me, “Perry wants to see you”. I worked for him, so I didn’t find this to be an unusual request.
Perry was straight forward. He knew who I was dating and took the “big brother” approach. “If you need anything, or have any questions about girls, just ask.” I thanked him, but I didn’t, so I didn’t.
Father Thompson was a bit more formal. He, too, told me that my mom requested his services. I learned that day that Father Thompson had several girlfriends before he became a priest, so he was familiar with the challenges that young lovers face. I also learned that he had a speed boat and went water skiing with some of his friends each week. I thought that was cool.
Somewhere along the line he asked if I had any hobbies. I talked about playing baseball, football, and being a member of the bowling team. I told him I wrote from time to time. Nothing big, but I was considering writing more as I grew older. That’s when he said, “If you want to write you should start by keeping a journal. Write every day. Take a few minutes and write at least a hundred words. You’ll be surprised by what you’ll learn about yourself.”
Interestingly, Father Thompson left the priesthood a couple of years later. He never said, but I think water skiing with girls may have helped him make his decision.
If you Google journaling, you’ll find this. “Personal journaling is the practice of maintaining a written record of incidents, experiences, and ideas. It’s a way of learning about yourself.”
I think that’s why Ruth kept journals. She was trying to figure things out. I’ve found two journals that she kept in high school. She had one from her junior year and another when she was a senior. She wrote throughout college and for most of our 51 years and 16 days. I’ve read some but I’m not sure I’ll continue reading. Time will tell.
My blog is my journal. While Ruth’s writing was private, mine is public. My process has taught me that Father Thompson was correct. I write every day, and I’m surprised at what I’m learning about myself.