A LOOK INTO MY DAY - A DIARY

Behind a bookcase, there was a hidden door. An entrance to a small, cramped annex, but full of hope. 8 figures hid inside there, hoping not to be detected. When the majority of people went about their days as usual, this group went mostly silent after 8:30 am until their helpers arrived. 

(1)

WRITTEN IN HISTORY

How little do humans know of future events? What a great irony it is that even if expected, preached about, or prophesied, certain events still do not fail to surprise us. Oh, what a parody. Or, is it just me?

Who would have thought that such a tragedy would strike humanity, and especially a specific group of people - the jews. 

“After the war, anybody can be a general”, they say. Now looking back, it was clear as day what was approaching. But to the most, especially all those, at least I believe it to be so, kind-hearted individuals, it came as a shock. “How could one be capable of such cruelty”?

Even nowadays, we all wonder. Not just in regards to the holocaust, but also in regards to other horrifying events that have transpired throughout the history of our human race. Will we ever learn?

Every once in a while, I still catch myself dreaming about being a great warrior of some kind, or something similar. I almost forget that some of the greatest heroes never even got to wield a sword. One such figure was young Anne Frank. And not just her, but her family and friends. 

In a difficult situation, she and her family had found themselves, yet she was trying to make the most of it. Silently, she wrote and hoped it would all be published one day. Entry after entry, she wrote to Kitty, her red-checkered diary. 

DIARIES

Diaries are written or audiovisual, memorable records, with discrete entries arranged by date. Their purpose is to report on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. (2)

Usually, they were handwritten, but lately, digital copies have become the norm. While some have been the starting point for biographies, and memoirs, usually they are for private use. (2)

They can contain a person's experiences, thoughts, and/or feelings. (2)

THE TERM DIARY

The term diary comes from the Latin diarium ("daily allowance," from dies, "day"). The word 'journal' similarly comes from the same root (diurnus, "of the day") through the Old French jurnal (the modern French for 'day' being jour).

Diaries and journals are similar, with the exception that diaries contain daily entries, while journals can be less frequent. 

HISTORY OF DIARIES

The first record that resembled that of a diary is the Diary of Merer. It is an ancient Egyptian logbook describing the transportation of limestone from Tura to Giza. There have been older records, but they are more closely matched to that of a journal. 

The precursors of the diary in the modern sense include daily notes of medieval mystics. What was once mostly used to log daily events and experiences eventually shifted into a recording of one’s thoughts, hopes, dreams, and fears. (2)

OTHER FORMS OF DIARIES

1. INTERNET DIARIES

With the invention of the internet, internet diaries emerged. The first one happened to be Claudio Pinhanez's Open Diary, published at the MIT Media Lab website from 14 November 1994 until 1996.

2. DIGITAL DIARIES

With further digital developments, nowadays diaries and journals can be kept on smartphones inside different applications. 

3. PERSONAL ORGANIZER

A personal organizer is a form of diary to list actions and tasks for the day.

4. FREEWRITING

Diaries were set aside to write without any constraints, letting thoughts flow freely and allowing the subconscious mind to express itself.

5. GARDENING JOURNAL

A gardening journal helps gardeners improve their efforts over time by providing a historical record of actions taken.

6. GRATITUDE JOURNAL

A gratitude journal is a diary of things for which someone is grateful.

7. SLEEP DIARY

A sleep diary or sleep log is a tool used in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders or to keep track of dreams.

8. TAGEBUCH

The German Tagebuch ('days-book') is normally rendered as "diary" in English, but the term encompasses workbooks or working journals as well as diaries proper.

9. TRAVEL JOURNAL 

A travel journal, travel diary, or road journal, is the documentation of a journey or series of journeys.

10. WAR DIARY

A war diary is a regularly updated official record of a military unit's administration and activities during wartime maintained by an officer in the unit. 

11. FICTIONAL DIARIES

CONCLUSION

Great things have been documented in diaries. Important events, inventions, and so forth. 

From the story of Anne Frank, we can see that even in dark times, we can find hope and still dream. Who would have thought that by keeping her diary, she would not only become a household name but also an icon? 

Sadly, she did not get to see her diary get published, yet her dream still came true. She will be remembered forever. So keep on writing. Your words may yet impact others, too.

SOURCES

1. Image created via canva.com

2. Wikipedia. Diary. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diary