Dear Diary

At the time I grew up it was common practice to keep a diary.  They were purchased with a small lock and key to keep things private, and it was also a good idea to keep them hidden.  You certainly didn't want anyone to read your private, inmost thoughts.  Things have certainly changed.  Now we  use the wonder of the computer world to unload our thoughts for all to see.  While keeping a record of our thoughts on our "profile pages", we also allow others entrance into our diary to add their own thoughts and feelings. 

After living the world of Facebook for a couple of years, I'm coming away with mixed feelings.  It saddens me to see how many hours are spent by people alone with their computers.  I've seen husbands and wives communicating by way of Facebook and wonder if they are sitting across the room from each other on their respective laptops.  I miss the days of friends getting together face to face.  Call me old fashioned if you like.  I still like the personal touch of actually hearing a voice and seeing the expressions when someone is communicating with me.  There seems to be a decline in communication skills, and this could be directly traced to the fact people simply aren't given enough opportunity to learn how to communicate "in person".

At the time I became engaged and was planning my wedding I opted to get rid of my diaries, along with the boxes of letters and keepsakes I had stored up to that point in time.  We lived in the country, so had to haul our own garbage.  I remember the boxes sitting in the garage for some time before my dad had time to bring them to the dump grounds.  Sometimes I wish I would have saved them to look back on.  Then again, it's best to let go when you are heading in a new direction.

One special treasure I have is a diary my mother keep when she was 16.  It was written over the time period her 19 year old sister was facing hospitalization for heart problems, and eventually covered the time her sister died.  I remember crying the first time I read through the pages, trying to imagine what it would have been like to be in her position.  There is also a special entry of the time when one of the town's eligible young bachelors gave her a stick of gum.  If she was 16, he would have been in his mid-twenties.  How would I know this?  He was the projectionist at the movie theatre back then, and eventually was the one to win my mother's heart and marry her at the age of 28.  There are no diaries to tell the story of the years inbetween, and the subject never came up before my mother's unexpected death at age 68.  Perhaps someday they can fill me in, or it could be once we face eternity together it won't matter.

As someone who likes to write, it would be interesting to be in the business of documenting people's lives.  Living in a community with lots of elderly people, it might be something I could pursue at some point.  For now, I guess I'll stick with Facebook and blogging for a time.  But winter is getting to me, and it sure would be fun to throw a "Face to Face" party!  Anyone interested in helping??