Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to watch the CNN documentary about Gilda Radner, “Love Gilda.” It was truly an interesting documentary, a film that will stay with me.

One interesting aspect of the film was the use of Gilda’s own letters, journals, and diaries. Current comedians such as Melissa McCarthy and Amy Poehler read Gilda’s own words and thoughts. Hearing her thoughts and words so many years after her death--and hearing the readers’ appreciation of having those words available to them--made me think about my own experiences with keeping a diary.

When I was a young teenager I kept a diary. It probably looked like most diaries of that time; it was pink, with a small lock and gold gilded pages. I wrote in that diary consistently for years. Then, my older brother found it, read it, and teased me unmercifully about its contents. As a teenager, I was extremely embarrassed and threw it away. I never picked up another diary or journal.

In watching “Love Gilda,” I realized that, by throwing that diary away and never journaling again, I had unknowingly deprived my children of something meaningful, my written thoughts and feelings. I have my Mom’s address book, which is written in her own hand and has numerous notes about the people listed, birthdays, likes etc. It is one of my most valued possessions.

Do you keep a journal or diary?