here are many kinds of journals, as there
are many journeys in life. A journal is a record kept while you travel. Nature notebooks generally refer to a journal dedicated to observations of the natural world. Diaries record daily events. Sketch books are
used by artists to record visual impressions. Lab notes or field notes imply serious scientific study and observation.Journals are a place to remember thoughts, ideas, images, dreams, events, developments,
musings and hopes. Discoveries are flashes of thought that make the world seem somehow
brighter, more beautiful, interesting, or bizarre.
A discovery journal places moments of insights together, page upon page, building connections between seasons and
years. It is a record of days, a bringing together of scattered experience into a meaningful whole.
So, what is a discovery journal? A sketch book? A diary? A
nature notebook? An account book? Lab notes? Musings? A field journal? Rantings? A record book? Letters unsent? A discovery journal can be all of these. It is a book you write
yourself about anything that has importance to you. You make all the rules, and you can change them anyway you want.
There are many names for these personal books. I like the word journal because it implies a
journey, a beginning and a destination, with turning points along the way. I like to imagine my life as a journey, finding my way one step at a time.
