Talking to myself (for 41 years)
Instead of crafting what would surely become a respectable memoir this morning, I simply picked up the first journal in my spring 2023 series, and wrote a great big long thank you note to the lifelong friend I found between all these lines across so many pages, filling books, stacked in boxes.
Self-reflection is a form of revision. It asks questions, considers alternatives, balances accounts, seeks the source, goes a step (or fifty) further, gives shape and form, and makes choices – what to leave in and what to leave out.
There is no trophy or prize, but in my acceptance speech for the privilege of having a writing practice, I want to thank God, the Universe, every single teacher I ever had who fanned my flames, all the readers of various projects who sent me notes, students who shared their own stories, and everyone everywhere for all time.
Invitation to A Reading from the Journal of Yesterday
I launched a Substack in March called A Reading from the Journal of Yesterday where I am happily posting reflections somewhat regularly from my lifetime collection of journals and personal writing. I am cross-posting my most recent entry here because I would love for readers of this blog to join me there.
Raye S. Leonard 