Journals and Papers

Writing in a journal through illness is a great way to relieve stress and release the silent voice that screams to be heard, but wishes to scream in silence. Mostly, we don’t want to burden our family members with true feelings of the illness we are suffering, especially if the illness is terminal.

I recently lost an aunt to brain and lung cancer. She kept journals for most of her adult life. Several hardbound journals lined her bookshelves as her life experiences unfolded over the years as stories within these journals. When I heard about her illness, I thought that she might want to describe her feelings as she fought the cancer, so I sent her a “Her Life” journal. I thought as we prayed for a healthy outcome, she might like to write about her journey of the battle she was having with her health. When she was well she could look back over those pages, or place it on her bookshelf with all the others.

Sadly, with chemo treatments and radiation, she was only able to write a small bit before she had trouble seeing and writing. She did continue drawing and “doodling” (she laughed when she told me that) inside that journal. She lost the fight against cancer a few months after she received the journal. I hope that by jotting down a few things, my aunt was able to find some peace from the pain that engulfed her. Now her journals are being passed onto her children so they will come to know the strong woman behind the words.

You don’t have to be a writer to keep a journal; in fact journaling has a variety of benefits and advantages for everyone. Keeping a journal allows a person to track their thoughts and feelings and retains them for future reference. Everyone has said at some time “what was I thinking?” People who record their feelings in a journal can look back on their entries to better understand themselves.

Journaling is a proven stress reducer. Once you write something down it’s not as likely to bother you anymore. Keeping a personal journal is a great tool for goal setting. By writing down your goals you can actually see and better understand what’s important to you. Organization is also a benefit of journaling. Cataloguing what you want to accomplish each day is a great tool to help you get those things done.

Journals are also a wonderful gift for friends or family members.

Finding and applying for a new job can be challenging, especially when the economy is bad. But a new career can be the start of an innovative and fresh beginning. After finding several jobs to apply for it’s important to have a good resume and cover letter.

A resume is a short description of your past jobs, educational history and skills. Resumes allow employers to get a sense of your experience. Cover letters should accompany resumes and are addressed to a specific employer for a specific job.

To get started writing your resume it’s necessary to include the following:
• Name, address, phone number and email address.
• Work history (past jobs/positions/duties).
• Educational history.
• Awards and certificates.
• Special skills that might interest an employer.

When writing a cover letter make sure to include the following:
• Tailor your cover letter to the job/company you’re applying for.
• Highlight skills and experience that make you a great fit for the position.
• Keep it short, about three or four paragraphs are fine, but no longer than a page.
Before sending your cover letter and resume make sure your have it printed on high-quality resume paper. Resume paper is thicker than normal printing paper and comes in a variety of colors. Stick with creams, whites, and pale grays.

It seems every time a new season approaches, I feel the urge to open a new journal. Maybe that’s why I have so many. It is like a renewing of the inner spirit. New seasons bring about a sense of calm or excitement depending on the time of year.

As this nice fall we have been having at home turns into a chillier one, and Halloween comes with leaves blowing about and the darkness shortens the day, I feel a sense of slowing. The urge to nest and sit with my legs curled under a blanket with either a great book, or a new journal is quite appealing.