One of my biggest frustrations with writing is that I am never done. I often edit and re-edit, expand or constrict the piece. I am a perfectionist. If I allow it, every entry, would remain in constant motion. I am not a natural writer, it is just something that I love to do. Over the years, I have grown into my writing. I am more accepting of it now, worrying less about perfection and choosing to grow with each new piece instead. However, there are benefits to re-writing* certain pieces. First, you may have just been too busy to get the specifics down while you were traveling. Perhaps you did some speed journaling, or made a list of the things you want to remember. This is a perfect time to rewrite the piece. Second, as my writing style has evolved, I will often read an older entry and consider the details that are lacking. Hopefully, the more observant traveler that I have become, the more this will be reflected in my journals and the less I will have to rewrite. Third, another great reason to rewrite, is that our perspectives change over time. In my current middle years, I am far more outgoing and likely to interact with people. I am more adventurous. My experiences tend to be richer as I seek to learn more from them. So if you are stuck for something to say today, find an old piece and rewrite it! Below you can find an example of one of my very early diary entries and how I would choose to rewrite the piece today .
*If you choose to re-write an original piece, please don’t discard it. Instead, allow a comparison of the two pieces to reflect your personal growth.
Thursday-April 2, 1996
St. Thomas Virgin Islands This morning we are slightly disappointed when they cancel our bike tour. Then it starts raining. No longer disappointed, we decide to make it a great shopping day. We head out with the goal of finding a Tanzenite tennis bracelet and a new wedding band for Alan. We return to the ship with a Christmas ornament!
EDITED and RE-JOURNALED (Oct 13, 2015)
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands I have fallen in love with the semi precious stone of tanzanite. Like the ocean that we are currently sailing upon, the color is ever changing. These stones can be lavender and change to azure, or they might be a deep purple, similar to an amethyst, perhaps changing to dark blue like a sapphire. It all depends on the light it is viewed under. There is only one place where tanzanite has been found, and that is in Tanzania. St. Thomas seems to have a massive collection of stones, in all ranges of colors. The highly coveted darker stones are plentiful here, whereas the lavender stones are more common near our home. Perhaps this is because they are getting closer to the bottom of the mine and St. Thomas is a haven for jewelry so receives the best that is available at the time. Landing at this port is like stepping into nearly a hundred jewelry stores. from around the world, all at the same time! They line both sides of the street and extend down every alley. We have been warned while on our ship, to only shop at the certified jewelers, since there is also a lot of corruption here. We hadn’t planned on spending our day shopping, but rain had cancelled our bike tour scheduled for the morning. Since this island is known for its discounts on jewelry, we decided to look for a tanzenite tennis bracelet for me and a new wedding band for Alan. Several hours later, we returned to the ship, with only a new Christmas ornament to show for our efforts. I had finally had enough of people. Walking through the streets of Charlotte Amalie felt like a battleground. Thousands of passengers had unloaded from one of the four ships currently in port. They all seemed to be on the same mission. as they descended on the tiny capital city. The air quickly filled with a cacaphone of foreign accents, as each store owner stood at the entrance of his shop, beckoning us to enter, instead of shopping at his rival. Alan is claustrophobic, so we tend to avoid crowds like this. Even though I know the women will be showing off their new prizes at dinner tonight, for me, there is no piece of jewelry that rivals the peace found on a balcony, a cold drink in hand while watching the colors of the sea as it changes throughout the day. Maybe next time.