Make Every Day Meaningful
Realize, Record, and
Remember Life’s Grand Lessons
Author: Randal A. Wright
“God gave us memory so that we might have roses in
December.” James M. Barrie (Peter Pan author)
I found it. A book that motivates me to improve my journal
writing so I can have roses in December.
Writers are often too busy writing for deadlines to write
their own story. We have perfected procrastination, harsh self-criticism, and
we get writer’s block. Sound familiar? “I can’t write my personal history
because I am too busy, I’m a terrible writer and I don’t know what to write.”
Make Every Day Meaningful is the book I found while
searching for a book about gratitude to review for November. Sometimes a book
chooses you.
The gratitude chapter titled, “Learn to Be Grateful Every
Day” includes inspirational quotes, personal stories and encouraging words.
Wright observes that less than ten percent of attendees express gratitude to
speakers, teachers and musicians who serve them in Sunday church meetings.
In his travels as a speaker and author, he rarely sees those
who have spent many hours in preparation and presentation thanked by those they
serve. A Sunday School teacher told him that only a handful of people thanked
her during her almost five years of teaching.
“Over the years, I’ve had the responsibility of asking
hundreds of people to speak at forums held for LDS college students. During
that time, I have watched on multiple occasions as not one person approached
the speaker afterwards,” wrote Wright.
I recently received a letter from Springville Mayor Wilford
W. Clyde thanking for the many years I have written news stories about the
city. This brief expression of gratitude from a very busy man prompted me to
send a note to someone I noticed quietly serving. Gratitude is contagious –
it’s spread by mouth and hand to hand.
Each chapter in Randal Wright’s book encourages the reader
to “realize, record and remember life’s grand lessons”. Many people do this
with a gratitude journal or other small notebook they carry with them. Some
spend a few minutes at the end of the day to record those observations and
lessons.
“Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving
an inventory of these blessings for our posterity.” Spencer W. Kimball
promised.
Many times I have wished my grandmothers had written their
experiences and thoughts for me to read and share with my children. These
fastidious little housekeepers even threw away precious letters from other
family members and family photos! I have their jewelry and dishes but I don’t
have their memories.
I appreciated the encouragement to write my autobiography -
a work in progress, and keep a better journal, but what this book really gave
me were some practical tools and suggestions. The list of 600 memory cues, and
three word-word summary suggestions are more helpful to someone like me than
quotes I've managed to ignore for decades.
It’s not too late to
start or start again. Your journal and your life story may not seem like a
bouquet of roses but your memories and life lessons are priceless gifts to
yourself and your family.
