The Days of My Life: A Journal

When I was thirteen, I was given a copy of THE DAYS OF MY LIFE: A JOURNAL FOR THE TEEN YEARS, as a gift from a family friend. I remember being thirteen quite well. At thirteen I was an uncertain teenager, trying my best to figure out who I was and how the world around me fit into place. I constantly struggled with new emotions and feelings, having more questions and thoughts than answers and outlets. THE DAYS OF MY LIFE was a perfect gift for a teenager like me. This journal provided me with the answers and outlets I needed. It became my trusted friend over the next few years of my life and helped me develop a clearer picture of myself and my world. Betsy McMahon, a high school language arts teacher, wrote this journal "for young women who love to write,but...freeze when faced with a blank sheet of paper." What McMahon has done with THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, is to provide ideas and prompts to inspire writing and creativity for these young women. The journal is divided into eight categories, such as "Myself," "Friends," and "School." Within each category are sub-sections, which provide opportunities for personal reflection on events of the past, the present, and even the future. Each section allows the reader/writer the opportunity to freely express opinions, thoughts and feelings about the subject. At the conclusion of each category are twenty blank pages for traditional journal writing. Here the reader/writer of the journal can compose on her own. This combination of guided and unguided writing is excellent for the development of journal writing skills. THE DAYS OF MY LIFE; A JOURNAL FOR THE TEEN YEARS, is a worthy companion for a young woman who struggles with the emotions of growing up and needs an outlet for her expressions. This journal will help its reader/writer develop a clearer sense of who she is and what she may become, as it once did for me.