We have all had that writing exercise back in grade school where the teacher asks if you were stranded on an island what three items would you want to have.

I often said I would want a book, a journal, and a pen.

A book for reading of course, and the journal and pen for writing a diary.

In my mind, having those items would make being alone on an island a little more bearable.

If I was asked the question now, I would still choose those three items.

Reading has always been something I enjoy. I could read a favorite book a million times.

I enjoy being able to escape into a story. Connecting with the characters and visualizing each scene creates a lasting memory of the story.

I have been writing in journals since I was 8 years old. I still have my old journals and I even still journal today.

Writing about how I feel and the way I see the world has been a joy as well.

I’ve been an introvert for much of my life and reading books and keeping a diary allows me to access a part of myself that I don’t often show the world.

I’ve been in situations and have seen others in situations where they tell someone about something they enjoy, and in turn ridiculed for it or pushed into publicly showing people what they enjoy.

Like they have to prove to others that they actually enjoy the activity they say they enjoyed.

I am very private about the things I enjoy because of those past situations.

So to be stranded on an island with only a book, a pen, and a journal would be fine with me because I am not interested in being someone’s sideshow and having people critique the things I enjoy.