[viral_krieger]

I have been keeping a journal and taking a picture every day since my first year of college. Before I moved out of my parents' house I looked at a few family photo albums. There were countless times where I thought, "I would have never remembered that without seeing this photo." That thought both scared and excited me. I don't what significant memories I have lost throughout my life, but I can make sure to write down every future one I deem important.

Writing down my thoughts also forces me to reflect on my conversations with other people. I often find myself seeing someone's point of view more clearly and better understanding their thought process. I thought I was open-minded before, but dissecting someone else's seemingly convoluted opinion makes you accept almost any possibility.

I also make sure to write as honest as possible. When I look back at my journals in the future, I want to think, "This is exactly how I perceived the event given my knowledge at the time." I write what happened, my thoughts on what happened, and how I reacted.