In the past month I've had way too little time to journal. When I'm very busy and stressed the journal is still the last to go, so when I don't even make time for that you can bet that life has been extra hectic. Not the entire month mind you, but definitely longer and more than I would like. I try to journal every day, but the past four weeks I've had times when I skipped three or four days in a row. There's nothing wrong with that in itself of course, but for me journaling is such a daily habit that when I don't do it it's like something really essential is missing, a part of me is missing. The thing is I had some time to write, but not really to decorate the pages and somehow that just takes the will to write away too. My journal is a decorated diary, not just a diary and it feels empty to write on pages with nothing on them, at least in the journal. I have no problem writing on empty pages outside of the journal. (Weird, I know.) But it also feels empty not to write at all, so I'm quite pleased that life is slowing down a little again. Last week was the first time I actually felt like I was getting back into a more agreeable rythm. And immediately my journal got to see me every day. It's no secret I'm very bad at handling stress and busy times. When both work and the time outside of work are too full I get lost somewhere in between. It's like my life is living me, instead of the other way around and I really don't like that. My level of tolerance for many appointments, visits and too long to do lists is very low. I need down time and not in a shy way. And that down time I need to spend alone. I know there's plenty of people out there who feel apprehensive about just being alone for an hour, but that's not me. I need days. Preferably more than one. When I'm alone I get a certain sense of peace and reflection that I don't think I could ever have in the presence of anyone else, no matter how much I love them. I like my own company and I like to explore things on my own too. I've always been that way I guess. And...I'm never ever bored. So anyway, here's the seven spreads I did manage in the past month. On normal weeks I would have done about twice as many since in this journal I fill about a page a day. But it's okay, even at a slower pace the journal will get filled eventually. And I sure do love fillling a journal! Wishing you all a very artsy week!