I Think With Ink

 “But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew, upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.”
​- Lord Byron

I have a wooden crate filled with notebooks, some are a bit tattered and filled with dreams and visions, others are filled with prayers and insights that I received in my devotional time with the Lord, and still others are filled with miscellaneous content:  inspired quotes, doodles, and notes from workshops, webinars, or networking events I've attended over the years. Then there are those precious few that are beautiful, unused, and don't yet have a purpose. Their blank pages are filled with potential, discovering what that could be is the exciting part! 
Recently, as I was scrolling through Pinterest for some DIY inspiration, I came across a "pin" for junk journaling as a way to fill unused notebooks. I thought this would be the perfect way to busy myself whilst still in quarantine, and challenge myself to get into a creative rhythm and write on a more consistent basis.  Junk journaling can easily be defined as upcycling for your notebooks. You fill the blank pages with really anything you want: scraps of paper, old book pages, material, cut outs from magazines, stickers etc.  The initial challenge for me was deciding on a theme and making sure I had the right materials to complete the project.  I found some invisible tape, a few glue sticks, and scissors, and I purchased some markers, sticky notes, burlap, lace, and created an inspiration board on Pinterest and began creating! My theme was entitled, "Sincerely and Lovingly Yours." I decided to write a total of five hand-written letters. I think that letter writing is a lost art form, but the sentimental gesture and therapeutic, fluid motion of putting pen to paper is almost poetic in its composition; which is something that I have grown to appreciate and quite enjoy.  

These five letters were each different in their content. My first letter was a Break Up Letter to Fear, the second was a Letter to My Younger Self, the third was a Letter to My Future Self, the fourth was a Dear Hubby Letter, and the fifth was a Letter to The Courageous Dreamer. These letters were significant because they served as touchpoints in my life. I struggled with fear a lot growing up: fear of failure, fear of not being enough, fear of the unknown, fear of being a disappointment, even a fear of being successful. As a child, I often coped with hurt, sadness by suppressing my honest thoughts and opinions (if I knew what they were), in order to keep the peace, which was a habit developed out of fear, that really was to my own detriment moving into my adulthood. The letter to my future self, was an acknowledgement of where I aspire to be. It portrays what success looks like to me. I learned that you can't know where you're going, if you have not first acknowledged where you've been.  Each of the letters were composed organically and contained surprising revelations, and sincere sentiments. The most revealing letter that I composed was undoubtedly the second one, a Letter to My Younger Self.  As I was composing it, what was revealed to me was how much stuff I had not forgiven myself for. This letter I believe was important and necessary for me to write because it provided a way for me to acknowledge suppressed hurts, gain clarity, to heal and to let go of the past in order for me to move more freely into the destiny that the Lord has prepared for me.  I got the healing I never knew I needed in that one exercise, and that is a priceless gift, for which I am grateful.
Over the span of two weeks, I was able to complete a majority of the junk journal, leaving only a few pages left untouched. I wanted to leave room for more all the possibilities that are yet to come! 

Check out a few of my junk journal pages below and let me know what you think! I'd love to hear from you.