The Hope Chest & Dear Diary

Begin stashing away treasures now for later...

A Hope Chest is a fantastic way to begin satisfying your future needs now! So, what is a Hope Chest? It can be any container - from an old trunk to a cardboard box. Little by little, over the years, one keeps adding treasures to the Hope Chest. One day, when you strike out on your own, you'll have a wonderful stash of little treasures to fill your new home with. A Hope Chest is for both girls and guys. Guys might prefer to set up a large tool box to stash their treasures in.

Some very good things to fill your Hope Chest with are pretty dishes, adorable knick-knacks, tools, knives, small pictures that you've placed into your personal photo album, intricate vases, music - and anything else that catches your fancy. The personal photo album is a very good idea to consider. So many times, when a young person strikes out on their own, they have no special mementos. Photos are kept by their parents or guardians. Begin catching those memories and placing them into your own special pages. Request a camera, or copies of prints that you find particularly endearing.

But keep in mind that all the man-made treasures in life aren't the best treasures. Friends, family, a special moment - be sure and enjoy these magical moments as you fill your Hope Chest with tangible items for your future needs.

Dear Diary, A special written legacy of your youth...

One of America's former presidents, Rutherford Hayes, kept a diary all of his life. Diaries can be fun and full of adventure. They can be unlived dreams, your hopes, your desires. They can be very good stress relievers. They can document events and perk your memory later in life. They can even act as a confessional.

You and only you should have a key to your diary. It's a very personal and private belonging. Your parents,siblings or guardians may express curiosity over your diary. When you're a teen, everyone wants to keep an eye on you, eh?

Nonetheless, if you decide to keep a diary and you experience inquisitive speculations, try having a sincere talk with that individual. Explain that it is your private world, and it really wouldn't do them any great favor to read your diary, because much of the time you express certain things in your life through your writing that may never happen, even though on paper, it looks like they are. Does that make sense? Nonetheless, it's one small space of privacy that you're entitled to!

You need not record something in your diary every day. By doing such, it may become a chore. With time, you may find that you only wish to record in your diary every few weeks or months, jotting down particular events. The basic diary-recording rules are: Keep your diary in a safe place; Insist to others that your privacy be protected; Use your diary as a form of expression to relieve stress, to live dreams, or to document events in your life that are important to you.

Who knows, one day you may be President, making your diary a very important part of American History!