50 Years of John Wren's Journal: January 12, 1964

Monday, February 17, 2014

January 12, 1964

Writen at the top of the (then) blank fly leaf of the journal,

with these humble words begin,
one man's record to his kin.
"God's will be done.

For some reason I left the first lined page blank, then on the 2nd unnumbered page I began what has continued on now for over 50 years.

January 12, 1964
With this page begins the record of my thougts and actions from this date forward. Today I saw a friend of mine in church, a friend who only months ago had talked with me of his track record, of his time in the mile. He had told me how he hoped to better that mark next season, this year. Last year Will had two legs. This year he has one. Why did God pick Will out to take a leg from? Why did he take a limb from a human who uses his legs. Why not take one from a big fat man who does nothing all day. Why take back his gift of health. Will was a changed person today. He has not only new mannarisms, but he has lost his poise and self confidence. His thoughts were not boud together but rather were rambling and unorganized. He was talking, before he lost his leg, about drinking. How a lot of the best known people in the school drank; was it really so wrong! Surely God did not punish him so harshley for this one "mistake"? Will's loss is my gain, because I am going to excell at all sports. I am going to do as well as Will would have done. I must do it. This is why God did this to Will, so that I may see my duty. I will excell, and when the youth of tomorrow will listen to me I will tell them of God's way.

Notes:

2-17-14 Midnight Type this after watching Downton Abby on the Internet. TV is broken. Day before JT's 38th birthday, he's been raising money for Children's Hospital rather than taking birthday presents. Dinner at Regan's tomorrow, Janet will be there. Family meeting coming up 2-26. I have bad feeling.

I certainly was arrogant. No paragraphs.

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50 Years of Journal Writing

Last month (January, 2014) marked the 50th year of my keeping a personal journal. This blog will reflect back on those first 50 years and act as a way for me to make up my mind about continuing.

I've got boxes and boxes of old journals. My plan is to type in an old passage, share about what I've currently written, and share here about the process of journaling.

How I happened to start back in 1964 will be shared with you in the first entry.

I'd very much like this to be a dialog between me and you. So please don't just be a reader, post your thoughts, share about your experience with journaling, let's make this a conversation.

My intention is to post here each day until I get through the boxes, and writing about the old journals merge with just having the new. We'll see if this lives that long, my enthusiasm for the project, your willingness to participate, and neither of us dying before we've finished.

So let's get started. I'll begin by telling you about one of my all-time favorite teachers, Mrs. Dieter.

John Scott Wren

February 17, 2014

If you have questions it would be best if you'd post them here as a comment. But if that just won't work for you, feel free to call me. (303)861-1447

Who is John S. Wren?

My mother had a cousin who had ashtrays made with this on them, using his name of course. I've always wondered if Ayn Rand got Who is John Galt from him, never got a chance to ask him.

I was born in 1947, the year the transistor was invented and Chuck Yeager broke the speed of sound in his jet. My son was born in 1976, this countries bi-centennial and the year Steve Jobs and his two partners formed Apple to sell kits for the Apple I and NASA landed Viking I and II on Mars. John has two older and one younger sisters, more about them later.

My mom and dad meet in Amarillo High School, they married after dad served in the Navy, and they had an amazing life there. They lost one child before I was born, when I was two we all moved to Loveland Colorado. A couple of years later we moved to Denver and my brother Randy was born. We moved to Hoffman Heights in Aurora, then in October when I was in 3rd grade and Randy in Kinergarten we moved to the University Park neighborhood in South Denver on Jackson Street.

My brother Jay was born there several years later and he had a difficult time of it in those early years.

I played football, wrestled, did track, played baseball as I went to Denver Thomas Jefferson High School and Cornell College.

Then Janet and I married, I finished my Junior and Senior college years at the University of Denver while working for my dad full time. For a graduation present Janet and I got a trip to Europe, mom and dad, Randy and Jay went along. We were in the middle of negotiating the sale of dad's business, it was a forced march across Europe in a tiny car, and mom and dad were irate to learn we'd missed my graduation.

Now my son turns 38 tomorrow!

Divorce 23 years after a 23 year marriage, two married daughters and wonderful son-in-laws, four grandkids, my son and youngest daughters who are blessings.

I'm starting the Small Business Chamber of Commerce, restarting my consulting practice, and starting this process of going back through my journal.

They say more will be revealed. I hope so.

To be continued...