Hi ,

Do you keep a Journal? Do you write in it regularly? I do. I keep a journal right by my bed and I go through phases here and there with my writing. Sometimes I only write when I am upset or depressed. Sometimes I write only when I go on adventures and want to document my every emotion and feeling. Sometimes I use it for a 30 day gratitude journal and for 30 days I write only things I am grateful for. I have filled up several journals now over the years. I started writing in a journal when I was 11 years old. It’s so fun to go read some of those writings from when I was that age. Sadly there is little substance and not many entries. I often wished I had wrote myself letters of my hopes, dreams, goals, and ambitions back then. How fun would that be to be able to go back to that and see those types of entries. I went through a dry spell for several years and picked it up again when I was in my 20’s. This week I decided to go back and read some of those pages from the past. Some of them I never wanted to read again and still don’t like to read them. However this week I came across 2 of them I wanted to share with you. Even though this is super personal to me I feel like it is important. I wanted to share this with you.

5-15-02
“I think I am having some sort of a midlife crisis. I was looking back at some of the papers that my mother had been saving for me. They showed a lot of things about my past. I was on the 11th grade honor roll. I was on the 12th grade high honor roll. Several Band and Choir awards. (Remember I was in senior choir but never sang for my teacher. I was just there to get out of an english class so I could get good grades.) I was on the Southern Utah University Honor Band and Symphonic band competitions. I was also an eagle scout. Look at my life now. I could be somebody. I just don’t know what to do. ”
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5-8-03

“Well I guess I have a talent in singing. I am now entering into contests and going into recording studios. I would have never thought I could get this kind of response from me singing. I actually sang a cappella in front of 1000 people at the mall for a local contest I was in. It was so scary. My entire family was there to support me. I also did my first concert ever last month at the St. George art festival. It went good. We will see where this new path takes me but so far I am opening all kinds of doors with it.”
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I am not sharing these very personal journal entries to be conceded or anything like that. I am sharing these because it is amazing what difference a year can make. I love that at any point your life can take a turn and go in a whole new direction that can change things for the better, or much better, forever. Tomorrow you or I could wake up and something will happen that will send our lives in the direction that when we look back at our journals in 12 years we may say wow, look how much has changed. I will continue to write in my journal. I will continue to follow whatever path is laid before me. I love the possibilities that life has to offer us. What’s next for us? What will we do now? You may be writing in your journal right now and saying “I am having a midlife crisis” or “I could be somebody” or ” I just don’t know what to do.” Well I truly believe there is something much greater and much deeper for all of us if we so want it. We just have to have the desire to “Be Somebody” and take baby steps towards that goal. If we have hope in our hearts I believe in time, it will be so.
Have an amazing week and go out and “Be Somebody.”
Eric.

PS if you live anywhere near Vernal Utah we will be playing this Thursday night July 24th at 7:00pm at the Western Park Amphitheater with our good friend Charley Jenkins. The show is free and should be fun. Come hang out with us.