The other day, my wife and I took our kids on an unusual nature walk around our neighborhood. These walks are normal, but this time we gave each of them a small notebook and marker to write or draw as we walked. Watching my son, D, draw in his notebook, I instantly thought about the reflective processes of journaling and blogging…and how I don’t do them myself.
Consider these two statements:
- I know the importance of a person documenting his/her own learning.
- I think of myself as a life-long learner.
Putting these two statements together, you may think that I have an amazing journal or blog…but I don’t. Sure, I reflect on what I know, what I’ve learned and, most importantly, how I’ve changed through my experiences. It’s just that don’t put those thoughts down on paper (analog or digital). I have plenty of excuses about time and workload, but the honest reason is that I don’t make it a priority.
Which is why I am excited for the prompts and deadlines for blogging that are part of the Kenan Fellowship. Making my reflections visible, if only to myself, will help make this experience have more impact. Who knows, getting in the habit may even get me blogging on my own.