Writing and reading as therapy

I wonder why I have such a desire to write and reflect in so many posts in such a few days. Two nights ago I was asked an English question, What is the difference between self-disclosure and assertiveness. I think this blog has become for me a vehicle of self-disclosure and pray it serves as encourage and not as assertiveness. Last April, I read Henri Nouwen's comments:-

• Writing can be a true spiritual discipline. Writing can help us to concentrate, to get in touch with the deeper stirrings of our hearts, to clarify our minds, to process confusing emotions, to reflect on our experiences, to give artistic expression to what we are living, and to store significant events in our memories. Writing can also be good for others who might read what we write. Quite often a difficult painful, or frustrating day can be "redeemed" by writing about it. By writing we can claim what we have lived and thus integrate it more fully into our journeys. Then writing can become life saving for us and sometimes for others too.
  

Strangely this image of the boy playing cello from 1900 is very significant. His name is Otto Frank and just happens to be the father of Anne Frank, the famous young Jewish girl diarist. Otto the only survivor from the family was given his daughter's diary on his return to Amsterdam. Otto read it and many years later recalled his first reaction "I never knew my little Anne was so deep".

I don't know about depth, but all this stuff comes from the last five years of journalling. This reviewing and reading of my old journals and writing is therapeutic for me.