A journal is an act of love

Because now is all you ever have

Photo by Brad Neathery on Unsplash

People write journals for lots of reasons. Sometimes they feel like they owe someone an account of their life. Sometimes they just want to remember stuff. I keep a journal to change the world.

My world, anyway.

The most famous journal in history

Thursday 27 November 1662
At my waking, I found the tops of the houses covered with snow, which is a rare sight, that I have not seen these three years.

Up, and put my people to perfect the cleaning of my house, and so to the office, where we sat till noon; and then we all went to the next house upon Tower Hill, to see the coming by of the Russia Embassador; for whose reception all the City trained-bands do attend in the streets, and the King’s life-guards, and most of the wealthy citizens in their black velvet coats, and gold chains (which remain of their gallantry at the King’s coming in), but they staid so long that we went down again home to dinner.

Samuel Pepys lived from 1633 to 1703 and kept an extensive diary over about 10 years. He was a hardworking business man who lived in very interesting times, surviving plagues, wars, and the London fire. His diary is one of the chief sources of knowledge about ordinary life in Reformation England.