(book) size matters

Birds passed by. The sun fell on the open journal.

A Butterfly landed on Bodhilama's journal.

"The size matters."

His gaze was fixed on the butterfly.

"Since I've been writing in my diary for several months,
I've realised that I can't completely plan what I write.
There are days when I make plans,
jot down to-do lists,
then I write down ideas
or I write down my emotions
and thoughts in the form of a real diary."

His eyes wandered over the book.

"And the interesting thing is that,
for example, to-do lists
and notes (e.g. mind maps) about various ideas
work well in small A5 journals.
These are quickly to hand,
I can carry them everywhere
and their size means that I only write down what is necessary.
The size helps me to narrow things down."

He looked out into nature for a moment.

"But when I write down emotions and just let my thoughts run free,
an A5 journal limits me.
The thing is that I write very large
and don't want to concentrate on writing neatly and straight in my flow.
So, with a small journal,
I'm worried that I'll fill the book within a week,
so I try to keep it short.
Yet, for a stream of consciousness,
I want to have as much space as I need.
And furthermore,
I have to switch to the next line very quickly
or turn the page every three sentences.
That means my flow is interrupted, the stream comes to a standstill.
You understand me?"

"Not quite, because I don't write journals, but go on.
I'm listening," replied the butterfly.

"Yeah, that's actually it for today. That is my insight.
The thing is, I used to worry that my journal had to be perfect.
It has to be beautiful, I have to write properly.
And everything has to be organised and structured.
It's best to plan what to write on which pages.
This has already limited me.
Sometimes I didn't write because
I was afraid the journal wouldn't look good
and the journals was dedicate for planning,
but then I preferred to write down my thoughts.

"Ahha."

"Then I started writing everything down
in just one journal.
It all went really well.
And it was only through the process that I found out,
that I needed two different journals.
A big one and a small one.
And now I split it up.
That means I wanted to do everything perfectly at the beginning,
but the urge for perfection was actually preventing me from starting at all.
Then I just started and now the perfection comes over time."

The butterfly nodded excitedly.

"So, that means just start writing
without thinking about it.
With the process, you'll find out
what works best for you."

"Okay, you've convinced me.
Because I tell myself that I'm a butterfly
and I can't write,
but basically I'm limiting myself.
I should just start,
my arms will grow by themselves
if I just start writing.
Thank you very much, good sir.
I'll start right away. Goodbye."

And the butterfly left.

These are the Letters of Bodhilama, a guy who lives in a time of transformation.
A guy who felt the urge to write, because nothing else made any sense.
A guy who is a student, teacher & creator of (wild)Planet108.
A solar punk finding his way on the game's journey of life.
Subscribe to become part of the stories he tells.
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This Text was written, only with the mind & hands of one human being.
Only for refinement DeepL was consulted.
The artworks are made by openArt.

All rights reserved to Bodhilama