When we stop and think about the pain we have suffered, whether through the loss of a loved one or any other traumatic event, these are all part of what shapes us into the people we have become.  So often we choose to hide our pain instead of embracing them to search for the hidden treasures that are often overlooked.

Shortly after the birth of my second baby, I was diagnosed with severe post-partum depression.  My difficult marriage that was riddled with chaos was coming to an end. The circumstances that led me to the place of complete hopelessness were overwhelming at best.  As part of my recovery, I began to write down my thoughts and feelings about each event that happened.  What began as an venture to sort through the pain, evolved into a complete visual display of raw emotion and the spiritual journey that accompanied my experiences.  Although not your typical scrapbook album, it is one that played a vital role for me in finding peace and healing.

Composing it all together with photographs, carefully selected patterned paper and just the right stamping and embellishments gave each painful memory a sense of validation. It was like putting a mirror up to my wounded heart and saying, ‘Yes, that is what I felt. Right or wrong, good or bad. These emotions are mine.’ To be able to openly express myself this way and to have a visual memorial has made it easier to let go of the pain, forgive and move toward healing.

My scrapbook album, titled ‘A Journey Through Life’s Challenges’ does not sit on my coffee table out on display. Instead, it rests on the shelf in my office, waiting for moments, sometimes through tears, when I need a reminder of where I’ve been to truly appreciate where I am today.

Because of my great love of this pastime, I wanted a way to preserve my memories, a way to go back and revisit if you will. During one trip to Hawaii I found a beautiful 8 X 8 scrapbook album with a breathtaking scene of a beach on the cover. I was elated with the find and a tradition was born.

Now, during my voyages, one of the items I always pick up is a unique scrapbook album that speaks of the place I am visiting. It comes home with me and then I lovingly fill it with the trip’s highlights. I insert everything from beautiful pictures and special treasures to napkins, menus and sand (yes, sand). In fact, I used the sand to build a whole beach scene on one of my pages.

I find that when I travel with an open mind I always learn something new. On many pages of my scrapbooks I use a journal template to document things I learn along the way.

When you leaf through the pages of these albums, it is like returning to those places. It allows the person that is viewing the book to share the trip by walking down the cobbled roads or riding on the back of a donkey down narrow passageways. I have even been known to use glue dots to adhere a piece of a donkey’s tail to the page (don’t worry, he didn’t feel it. I used a nail clipper).

Many times I use a simple scrapbook layout, but for the most part I go all out and every page is protected by a page protector. I’m crazy for decorative paper and love to try new techniques like little gift tags hanging from the page or using textures of different kinds. When I finish them I store them in special scrapbooking cabinets. I want these books around for a long time. There may be a day I can’t travel as much and my scrapbooks will help me relive the memories.