From time to time, I return to look at Sabrina Ward Harrison‘s book The True and the Questions (2005). This book is a journal, half filled with Sabrina’s thoughts, and half with adorned empty pages for you to fill in. This is perhaps a great starting book for someone who has never journaled before and finds the idea intimidating.
I like that Sabrina guides you with prompts to reflect on different aspects of your life. Here are a few prompts from her book:
My worries today (a list) – she shows you her list and a blank page for you to reflect on yours
I didn’t tell you & I must express
I feel like all I’m doing is…
This is a very visual journal full of beautiful creative pages and is meant for you to write in. It is encouraging to see how the simplest of marks and paint splatters can add appeal to a page. Sabrina uses many interesting design elements to keep you wanting to turn the pages, some of which are vintage imagery, wallpaper collage, filmstrips, and a very loose calligraphy with a childlike quality to name just a few.
There are little notes here and there serving as reminders to read such and such a book, one of which is Pablo Neruda‘s Book of Questions. This is a wonderful whimsical book filled just with questions, perhaps the type a child might ask. It is playful and one can’t help but smile reading it. Here’s a thoughtful post on these poetic questions.
I think Sabrina’s book is a good one to add to your bookshelf. You can use it for visual inspiration when you are coming to an empty page or use her prompts to get you writing and reflecting on the world around you.
Sabrina is an impressive creative pioneer. Discover Sabrina and her other projects here.