life, memoir, writing

A Peek Inside a Secret Diary

Lori

During another era, in a different century, I got to meet my idol. I was nineteen years old. For a long time now, I’ve wanted to write a story about it but wasn’t sure I had enough material.

I wrote a diary when I was younger (now I’m young, then I was younger), and figured I must’ve written about it in there.

I dug through the drawer where I keep my teenage journals and yanked out a couple to sift through. I found the story I was looking for in the diary shown below. You can see it was very important to me that this be kept secret under that “unbreakable” lock.

diary 1Below is what I found right on the opening page.

1st pageThe lead singer of the rock band, otherwise known as KC.

Let me just say that the way I wrote in my diary back then read more like a nine-year old, let alone a nineteen year old. Despite the bad writing, I found the account more detailed than I imagined, showing not only the exciting account, but my immaturity and low self-esteem.

I used the good material to write a 3,400-word story. If you’re at all familiar with my work, you’ll know that I like to tie-in something learned about life and leave readers with a sense of hope. Or, perhaps give the reader a smile or a chuckle.

You can start reading this free memoir here, titled Mystical Tours.

You can also check out more of my work, here.

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Published by Lori

Observer, thinker, learner, analyzer, and author. Love dogs. Enjoy cooking, laughing and spiritual centering.

44 thoughts on “A Peek Inside a Secret Diary”

  1. Pingback: Mystical Tours 5 | Lori's Lane
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  3. LOL. I mean that pretty much says it all right there. How cool that you were able to take your words from long ago and make it into a short story.

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  4. Pingback: Mystical Tours 3 | Lori's Lane

  5. Oh, priceless 🙂 You still have the diary. It would be interesting to say the least, my meet 19 year old me, even in diary form.
    In my teens I found an old diary from when I was 10. One of the July entries read “This is the best day of my life”. Nup. Not a clue.

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    1. Yes, the nineteen year old me is quite a different woman. Naive and insecure. Although, I understand her, because I’ve been there. 😉 As you read on, you’ll meet that girl and how she handled things.

      So glad to see you, EllaDee. I hope all is well with you.

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  6. Pingback: Mystical Tours 2 | Lori's Lane

  7. I remember diaries like those. 🙂 I had a very few of them, but as I got older and moved more frequently, they were destroyed because they took up too much room. I wish I had one back, that held some creative writing from my younger years, but it’s not meant to be.

    But I’ll swear either I or one of my friends also had that specific diary you showed!

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    1. Hee, hee, and to think I was already 19 and still had that little girl diary we all seemed to have. I was a very sheltered kid. 🙂

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  8. Pingback: Mystical Tours 1 | Lori's Lane

    2. I know … your diary reminded me of mine when you posted, too. It IS funny. I’m going to put up some of the silly clips of my scribble from that diary as the story goes on. Thanks for checking it out, Lauren.

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  10. My dad was the first person to get me to write a diary. I loved it and it has been a key factor in my love of writing and has led me to a place where my only catharsis on many days is a few words on paper. Looking back on my journals, I feel like reaching out and hugging myself and saying, relax, everything’s going to be okay.

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    1. That’s such a great point, wanting to reach back and hug yourself. I wish I could’ve helped that poor, insecure young girl, but I don’t think she would’ve listened. Thanks for reading and sharing your experience.

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  11. I used to keep journals years ago but sadly an ex destroyed them, then the next longer term partner I had objected to the idea of me writing one as he was paranoid about what I would put in it about him, recently I started keeping one again but mourn for the years lost from others pettiness, on the plus side I still have some amazing memories

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    1. Glad you’ve been able to take up journaling again, Paula. You can always try writing down other memories from the past if you feel the need. If not, you will always have them close to your heart. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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  13. Who lovely … your diary looks so new too … I wish I had written diary, instead I wrote letters to famous people about my days, joy and sadness … when written I ripped them and binned them.
    I’m sure I have changed … because I was very young when I decided to change my world into something better … I will have a read of your memoirs !!!

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    2. Yes, looking back on those diary entries, I sure have changed. It’s a wonder how much we learn and grow. Always good to see you, Viveka.

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  14. I had a very similar journal, but mine was Hello Kitty. Good thing mine had a lock too. Didn’t want news that my brother was a big doody head getting out. 😉

    I look forward to your new series.

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    1. Ha, ha, I had one of those doody head brothers, too. Thank God they couldn’t crack our unbreakable locks. Thank you for reading, Miss Anita. 🙂

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  15. I have started a thousand journals, and subsequently ripped out all the pages and tore them up because they sound so silly when I go back and read through. I always thought one day I’d not hate what I wrote before, but no. I applaud you being able to make journaling a habit, and for saving those memories.

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    1. Like Andrea’s comment said, much of the writings in those diaries are “cringe-worthy.” Some are hard to face when I see how painfully problem-filled I used to be. But, they also show the growth I’ve made. Thank you for your nice comment, Miss Maggie. I appreciate your support.

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  16. Oh those immature diaries – good to have, but often cringe-worthy! But your diary shows how important that meeting was – I felt the same about those idols of mine I met at the time, but the older I get, the less I idolise people in the same way.

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    1. I agree, Andrea, I do not idolize in the same way I used to. Although, Kevin was more like an infatuation.

      I have found that no matter how trivial my encounters may seem, each one actually made some kind of difference in the overall scheme of my life, even if a small one.

      BTW, some of them truly are cringe-worthy. 🙂

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  17. I’ve never been much of a journal keeper. I do have one from 2nd grade I saved, but anything of a personal nature written later on I’ve mostly scrapped. My lack of journal writing is partly because I’m lazy and partly because I don’t want people finding my stuff when I’m gone. 😉 Of course, I keep notes on my writing ideas, but that’s different. Seeing what you’ve conjured from your past, however, makes me wish I had more tangible reminders.

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    1. I used to worry about people finding my journals when I’m gone. Now, eh, not so much. Some may find me mentally disturbed, especially when I was very young. Others might find that they relate to the insecurities of a young girl in the latter half of the 20th century. However, I don’t always like looking back at those youthful diaries. I was painfully problem-filled. But, stories like this one here are certainly fun to recount. Hope others enjoy it.

      I know you can appreciate the youngster idol thing. Didn’t you write a post about, umm, was it Parker Stevenson? Can’t remember for sure. I find that every encounter in my life, even something that may seem trivial, actually made a difference. 🙂

      Thanks for your input, Carrie.

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      1. Ah, yes, Parker Stevenson. I was convinced–I mean, convinced–I would marry him some day. I did get an autographed photo from him once, though not directly. My brother-in-law got it for me (he was his mailman at the time). Parker spelled my name wrong. And yet I still loved him.

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        1. Yes, I remember reading that story about Parker on your blog, because I closely related to it. Kevin spelled my name wrong too, as you’ll see when I post some photos along with the memoir series. 🙂

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    1. They say people can’t change, but if everyone kept a diary, I’ll bet they’d see a change if they read it years later. I know I do. Thanks for checking out my post and commenting, Andy.

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