A lack of writing is rarely a lack of activity.
As I finish my last-minute packing before I trek on towards my sophomore year of college, I am beginning to bring on the spectrum of tasks that I have to accomplish. While writing is important to me, it is almost midnight by the time I think about writing an article for the week. I tend to push writing and reflection to the side; it is not required of my academic and social self. I have to think about what I need to print out by tomorrow and my Scientific Inquiry reading and my shoes that will not fit in my suitcase and the books I forgot to order and all of the friends I have to make sure I see this weekend because I do not have any classes with them. All of these concerns flood my head before I begin to write down my thoughts.
As I remember this hectic joy and time of growth from my freshman year, I think of my notebook that I started and finished in one year. It is basically the notebook of my freshman year, but it is a pretty small notebook. Not even every paged is filled with words; some pages have papers or tickets stapled into them, and some pages are not at all organized, clear, journaling thoughts. A couple of pages are just filled with random trivial questions. I never took a lot of time to sit down and write about all the change that happened during my first year of college. I was managing too much activity.
However, while I did not write a lot, so much happened. It is the type of “so much” that when someone at my church asks me how school is, I cannot begin to explain all the details about how it is good or just fine or not the best, like picking the best part of a long vacation. Not much of the details are documented. Even when I went to London, I did not journal as much as I should; I was too busy going places or observing or talking as travelers do.
I am now looking at all the unpacked bits and pieces in my room, and I just want to say that a lack of writing is beautiful in a way. Obviously, the presence of writing and documentation is how humanity passes on important ideas and connects as one force, but when it comes down to Facebook posts, Instagram photos, and journal pages, less is more. Less writing shows more action (hopefully). While I will always try to write as much as I can (and have to because I write an article a week,) there is substance in no writing.
