Your Hashtag Diary

Diary

Every person goes to some form of crisis several times in their life.
Most of the time, they rely on the people that are dear to them… their family and their friends.
But sometimes, every person needs a diary to fix themselves.
Sometimes, it’s only you who can fix the mess that you are in.

Karen is doing exactly that. Making her own “Hashtag Diary” to put herself back on the track.
I met Karen way way back. Back in time when she was still staying in Valle Verde. We used to hang-out in her cousin’s house in Cityland.
Unfortunately, I never got the chance to get to know her that well since she and her family migrated to the United States.

Good thing there is Facebook. Through this popular social media, we were able to see each other’s stories and view each other’s pictures.
I’m glad to see her happily married and having the best time of her life.

Then disaster struck.
Karen’s husband passed away, leaving her and her family devastated.
All of us here sympathized her, consoled her, and supported her.
All she did on Facebook was to post her anger, frustration, and sadness almost every day. We just let her be.
Everyone grief in their own way and we should respect that.

After several years, I notice something new to Karen’s activity.
She was doing something different. She started doing this “Hashtag Diaries”.
Every day, from day 1 to day 365, she posts on Facebook her opinions, her shout-out, her advice, and whatever she feels like writing.
This diary of hers is her way of helping herself bounce back from the catastrophic tragedy. She knows she is surrounded by a loving family and great support of dependable friends, but she knows she should help herself first.

Every day she lashes her anguish, her loss, and anxiety into writing.
Her diaries make her inspired to move on and go back up.
Little did she know that she is inspiring other people as well. Those who have encountered loss or divorce or any kind of unsurmountable problem.

Her diaries got into me too.
Here is a girl, who writes and doesn’t give a damn on what other people think.
Me, on the other hand, meticulously overthink so much before composing a paragraph.
She doesn’t care, while I overcare so much thinking if the article that I made would be appreciated by my readers.
Karen’s diaries are somewhat telling me to stop overthinking and start writing my heart off. To just be myself and let nature takes its course.

Her diaries can also apply to you.
You don’t have to post in on Facebook or any social media. You can keep it private if you prefer it to be that way. In can be anything.
It can be about your high school crush. Your plan to torture your Father-in-law. Or a diary of having a hundred girlfriends before marrying the love of your life.
Whatever that may be, it will surely help you. This diary of yours will guide you, motivate you, and keep you on track on your progress.

You can take pictures and videos while you’re at it. You can upload your videos on YouTube and save all your pictures on Dropbox.
The more pictures and videos the better. Save them, treasure them. It will be useful to you someday.
Document your journey. Make it daily if you have to.
This diary of yours will not only guide you but it will also save you.

Karen is one of a kind.
She is the only person that I know who is brave enough to post to the whole world about what she feels.
I admire her bravery, her passion, and her tenacity.
Her “Hashtag Diaries” brought her back to life.

Karen is telling each and every one of us to…
Be ourself, Be courageous and transparent. Get ourself out in the open.
It’s the only way to protect ourselves from this very cynical world.

Written on September 4, 2019