Musings on the Moleskine

There are sixty six books in the Protestant Bible — and hundreds more books written about that original set. How’s a truth-seeker supposed to keep track? We’ve asked Mike, a reader, teacher, writer, and sometimes preacher, to guide us through the shelves and sort the secular from the sacred.

 

I see a good journal as a spiritual tool. There’s nothing ghastly about scribbling your thoughts onto scrap paper. But try elevating your musings by investing in a journal that is worthy of their importance, and note how it changes your perspective. Invest in a tool that helps you recognize the worth of your thoughts and your personhood. Reflection is not self-indulgent.

 

I myself choose a Moleskine. It defies description: Is it a journal, logbook, diary, or notebook? In fact, it is the quintessence of all of them. The rectangle with rounded edges and blank pages has a kind of perfection all its own, with an appeal that is mysteriously mesmerizing. The brand’s claim is that it is “a flexible and brilliantly simple tool for use in everyday and extraordinary circumstances, ultimately becoming part of one’s personality.” To this statement, I must attach a degree of spirituality: These little books entice you to clarify your purpose and express your creativity via the written word.

 

My Musings on the Moleskine:

 

• Introduce a rookie to the concept of the Moleskine. Most will initially believe that you are a trapper of dirty little underground animals. Tell them that you will send them a “Moleskine” in the mail, and follow through. It’s like saying, “Surprise, friend! Your thoughts are worthwhile.”

 

• Moleskine users are part of an elite community with a connection that rivals the zen between those who ride motorcycles.

 

• Moleskines defy being discarded, they take up such little space, and they always look so impressive. They are, after all, your written legacy.

 

• You can always mix it up with the different sizes, colors, and page formats in a Moleskine.

 

• Moleskines may be sentient beings.

 

• Know that once you have used a Moleskine for your written musings, no other medium will compare in experience.

 

• Always keep some blank Moleskines in your periphery of existence. They comfort you. They make you realize that you are creative and intelligent. And, they bring a smile to your face.

 

Michael Rollwagen holds a Masters of Divinity and has thirty years experience as a pastor and teacher. He strives to forget most of that, though, and concentrate on helping people. He writes a weekly blog, More Undignified, and runs a faith-based non-profit, WordWalk, in Pensacola, Florida.