5 Reasons You Should Start Journaling Right Now

Ask anyone who currently journals and they will tell you that you it’s one of the best hobbies they have ever started. I do it and I swear by the practice of keeping a journal. Here are five reasons you should too:

Reason One:

Journals are a great way to keep your memories. Write down what happens during your day or how you are feeling in a specific moment. Going back and reflecting on that time is special and great for seeing what made you happy and you can do again or what has upset you and would be best to avoid. Re-reading an old journal helps jog your memory of things that you may have forgotten otherwise.

A perception of life

I could not believe that he lived in this. Not wanting to touch anything, the smell grabbed me in a choke hold. The peace I felt was out of place. You could not feel life or death; it was as if your senses went numb.

We started to sort through his belongings, things to keep, things to give away and things to throw in the trash. Wanting it to go quickly but yet not wanting to leave. This is where he lived, a small room with a small bathroom, little fridge, table, chair and bed with dresser. Covered in things he had gathered, most of it just things you use daily, not much collected from the past, no photo frames or trinkets. The walls were dirty, well everything seemed dirty. This is where his life had ended.

When on the outside of the room, the room is still exists.

Depression is Manageable

I have to unlock this door, the latch is rusty, the hinges are weak and the door itself is soaked with tears.

My hand shakes with fear; I tremble at the thought of entering. The small, damp, dark room on the other side frightens me. The small room is sound proof and I fear the door will close behind me and I will be locked in.

I know it is sound proof; I was in that room, locked behind its door, and no one came when I called for help. A silent scream for help was never heard.

I GOT TO YOU

I knocked, and you did not answer

I flirted and you peeked out the window

I danced and you swayed to the music

I laughed and you smiled at me

I got to you

I cared enough to stay and you let me in

Dirty little secret

Tucked away into the corner of your life, I am your dirty little secret.

Unreal to the people you see everyday, always hidden.

Pushed aside and labelled, can be unknown in an instant.

In your mind but not on your lips, hold me close and in the dark.

Keep me your dirty little secret, I am yours.

Allow only you to hold me, love me and keep me safe.

Live in the moments that will not be shared by anyone.

I am your dirty little secret!

Homeless Happens

We can try to ignore it, turn our heads, or deny it will ever happen to you. It could, just like anything else. We try to prevent illness and we try to prevent poverty, but it can happen and happen without warning. Poverty and homelessness is not a choice, it happens as a result of some choices that are made but it can also happen by other circumstances beyond your control.

Judgement on those that find themselves homeless, living on the streets or in a shelter is harsh. We stereotype the homeless as older men, unshaven, dirty clothes and a paper bag with booze in it. We see the shopping cart full of odd belonging and cardboard boxes. We turn our heads when we see the signs that read "Hungry please give" or the paper cup stuck out from the curb.

For all that is visible there are thousands, both genders, all ages, many untold stories that we do not see.

Homelessness happens whether we want it to or not, it just happens, no one opt into.

For families living a paycheck away from the streets, expenses such as emergency medical care can precipitate homelessness. Other factors might be mental illness or chemical dependency. www.change.net

Actions of homeless self awareness

Thrown into a new world

Hurled into hunger of many types

Cursed with poverty

Choked with tears of emptiness

Craved belonging to somewhere

Painful loneliness without hope

Pulsing fear of no change

Crushed dreams of yesterday

Crashing realization of homelessness

Rushing pain of hunger

Numbing memories fading away

Lost time and mistakes etched in stone

Across the United States, 675,000 people are homeless on any given night.