Post #27 – Memoir Writing, Journaling – Amber Starfire
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Today’s inspirational journaling quote is from President John Adams (1797-1801):
“There are two distinct classes of what are called thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking, and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord”
Thinking about thinking — it just kind of rolls around in your mind, doesn’t it?
According to my WordWeb dictionary, to think means “to use or exercise the mind or one’s power of reason to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgements”; to “imagine or visualize”; to “focus one’s attention on a certain state”; and to “ponder, reflect on, or reason about.”
That definition covers President Adams’s first class — that of reflection — but what of those that “bolt” into our minds? Are these spontaneous ideas the result of inspiration, or of contemplation that is occurring below the surface of our multitasking minds?
- How do you respond to Adams’s words? Do you are agree or disagree, and why?
- Might there be more than two classes of thinking? What would they be?
- Is the second class (the sudden bolt) thought, or something else?
- When you journal, what kind of thought are you generally using? (What mental state are you in?)
- To muse means to think, but used as a noun, a muse is a source of a writer’s inspiration. Spend some journaling time reflecting on the word “muse” and what it means to you.
For more journal writing prompts and resources, read other Journal Writing posts here on WomensMemoirs.com and be sure to visit WritingThroughLife.com for ongoing journaling and life-writing ideas.
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Photo by Klearchos Kapoutsis
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