Memories construct the person we are today. Being able to remember what we were a part of, having a sense of where we are now, and knowing where we’re going in the future frames our very existence. That’s why keeping track of and cataloging our memories in a leather notebook or journal is vital. It’s a record of our existence.
“But Jake and Bella,” you might say, “Can’t I just fire up a window on my computer or record my thoughts in a smartphone?” Sure, you can. There’s nothing preventing you from doing that, but there are several reasons that journals with real paper beat smartphones and other electronic means – hands down. Here are just a few of them.
Mission Impossible
Remember the first Mission Impossible movie where they had to physically break into the building to get to the computer because it wasn’t linked anywhere on the net? When you’re writing in a journal, you have the same advantage on your side; others can’t read your thoughts unless they physically have your book. It’s much more private.
Easy to Draw
I’m a doodler. I’ll draw crazy geometric shapes in the corners, practice illuminated flower borders, make stick figures, and otherwise deface the page while I’m writing on it. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but it’s not something you can do easily in any electronic journaling program.
No Power Necessary
My leather journal has no power cord. I don’t have to worry about whether I have enough juice or whether there’s signal. I don’t need to think about my typing speed. I can write at my own pace. There is a kind of simple refreshment to take my hand to the leather journal and write what I want.
Write Anywhere
If you’re a hiker and you get to the top of the mountain, you can take out your leather journal and start writing. You don’t have to worry about reception or whether your phone has enough power. Leather journals are a lot more durable too. The only thing that I have to worry about is whether my pen has enough ink to get me through (and I’m always carrying at least two pens.)
Laser Sharp Focus
The average person types 40 words a minute, while the average speaking speed is around 150 words per minute. The average handwriting speed is between 26 and 113 letters per minute (5 and 20 words per minute) according to a 2011 study run by David Bledsoe. We have no choice but to slow down and enjoy the words. Each letter that you place in your journal is literally handcrafted, making them more clear and organized.
When I put pen to paper, there’s a part of me that joins Shakespeare, Homer, Charles Dickens, and the other masters just as they once wrote. Smartphones and other recording devices have been around for only a blip in time, whilst ink and writing parchments have been trusted since the 1st century BCE! Great men and women in our history wrote down their thoughts, and with each letter I write, I’m part of that legacy too. I’d love to think that someday one of our top leather journals will be discovered and eagerly read by our space-faring descendants.
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