To Burn or Not To Burn

Last summer my aunt and uncle were talking about a family friend who died several years ago. They recounted that the last time they saw her she had asked what she should do with her journals. Should she leave them for her family to find and deal with after she passed away? Or, should she burn them?

At the time she was a little passed middle age, but she was far from elderly. My aunt and uncle told her to burn her journals reasoning that if she were not around to explain herself, the journals might be taken the wrong way. A few months later, she wandered into the woods and died – presumably of natural causes. The fate of her journals is unknown.

As a “writer,” I often think about this story. What would I have recommended? What would What will I do? Many famous artists are not discovered until after their death. It is unlikely that anyone will discover gold in my journals, but maybe they will enjoy something I have written.

Now, as I start this blog, I am again reminded of this story. Should I keep my writing tucked away in the pages of my notebooks so that I can retain the power to destroy it all? Or, should I set it free, with little explanation, for family and strangers alike to interpret on their own accord?

To burn or not to burn?