The Whole Point

Lately, I've been feeling stressed out about scrapbooking. I post my layouts, and then care too much about what response they get. I submit to publications, then care too much about if they get picked up. And all that caring has made it harder to just feel the love of creating.

What's the solution to this malaise? I'm not sure what it will be for me, yet. Not sure if publishing and designing gigs are really the best goal I should be working towards. But in the meantime, I got a good lesson this weekend about the point of it all.

I found an old album I made at the end of high school documenting what school was like. Brought it back from my parent's home in Ohio, and sat down to read it Friday night after dinner.

It immediately brought me back to high school--I could practically taste the soggy lasagna from the cafeteria. I remembered so many little details I had forgotten. By the time I closed the back cover I had laughed to the point of tears and given my husband greater insight into who I was back then. It was wonderful.

Now the thing is, this album was old-school Creative Memories. It would not have won any awards in the "cool design" department (There are smiley-face sneaker stickers represented. Need I say more?) And yet, I loved it. Because truth is, I have never regretted writing down a story. And I don't think I ever will.

And that's the whole point.