Calendar Books by Allen James - Daily Reading - "The Journey: A Calendar Book"

“The more light you allow within you, the brighter the world you live in will be.” ~Shakti Gawain

Calendar Books by Allen James' reading for July 9th from our featured calendar book for 2014, The Journey: A Calendar Book reads,

"Keep a journal for a year at least once in your life, then reread it every now and then."

I found rather late in my life how the process of journaling can add many positive benefits to our lives; it assists greatly with our personal growth and development. In the consistent writing down of our thoughts we gain insight into our actions and emotions.

In addition, writing in a journal is an effective tool for use in the healing process, which was the catalyst for my realizing its benefits.

My journaling began following a fatal car accident in 2002. As an English teacher as well as a psychotherapist, for years I had encouraged students and patients to maintain a journal; for English students it provides a plethora of ideas from which when faced with the "big paper".  For my patients, many of whom have faced traumatic events in their lives, it provides an outlet when there is no one else to talk to, it provides insight into their own emotional growth. Yet I had never kept one myself. I decided it was time to "practice what I preached".

As I was driving home during rush hour traffic one summer evening, another car took the turn into traffic in front of me (traffic was steadily rushing along at 60 miles an hour). For a split second the other driver and I made eye contact. There was no stopping my vehicle. I slammed on the brakes but this would not matter. My SUV flipped three times and landed upside down headed the opposite direction of traffic in the middle of the highway. The other vehicle rested some 50 feet away, its driver flung over the front seat.  Traffic was backed up for miles and over two hours.

The "slow motion phenomenon" had kicked in 100%, and as I hung there in my safety belt I realized "smoke" was rising around me. My immediate thought was, I've made it through the impact unharmed only to end up being burned alive in a blazing SUV, as I feared the vehicle was going to explode. I quickly struggled to get out of the safety belt, but it was jammed with my weight as I hung tightly against it. Somehow, through my frantic actions, I managed to get it loose and crawl out of the broken left window (The smoke had been from the air bag deploying). I walked away from the accident without a scratch.

Later I learned the young woman in the other car had intended for her destiny to be realized. She and her boyfriend had had a disagreement earlier in the day and she had made a statement to friends she was going to pull out in traffic and kill herself.  I just happened to be the innocent bystander at the other end of her choice. She died on the way to the hospital (Thankfully her two small children were not with her, evidenced by the two infant seats strapped in the back).

I was devastated for her, her children, her parents, her husband, even her boyfriend. I began journaling and continued for an entire year; reading over what I had written to attempt to come to terms with an event which, although I had no control over, effected me in major ways. It was my refuge in my darkest times of feeling somehow I could have kept this from having happened, but as well it was the catalyst to understanding there are no coincidences in this life; sometimes bad things happen to good people just as good things come to those who aren't so good. Although it seemed I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, in many respects I was in just the appropriate place at the appropriate time; growth and a renewed appreciation for life resulted.

There is an abundance of power in the placing of words to paper; especially in times of crisis. By expunging our minds of the plethora of thoughts which make no sense whatsoever as garbled paragraphs in our brains, onto paper where we can reread and clarify can be an emotional triumph.

Reading after journaling helps us to reflect on where we "were" and where we are "now". It is a method of allowing the light of understanding and compassion to shine on what has passed.I
Improving our perspective on life and clarifying issues can be accomplished simply by starting in a journal. We can only know where we are and where we're going if we know where we've been.

We all have dark days, black moods, and anxious feelings. Use writing in a journal to explore the darkness.

"Keep a journal at least once in your life, then reread it every now and then." We find inner light when doing so.

Keep looking up.  : )  AJ