Welcome to Parallel Entries, a collection of diary and journal excerpts written by different people on the same date across the years. A perspective from which every life, no matter how ordinary or obscure, is worth remembering.
Scroll down to see entries written on today’s date.
We can never really know a person like we know ourselves. But diaries can get us a little bit closer to that sacred truth. They are a humble attempt at capturing a piece, if only the tiniest sliver, of the mundane magic of our miraculous existence. Also, they are time machines. And who isn’t fascinated by time travel?
While social media gives us endless access to the lives and thoughts of others, those lives and thoughts are edited with an audience in mind. We are saying, “This is how I want you to see me.” But in diaries and journals we say, “This is how I see myself.” Parallel Entries pays homage to the practice of trying to see oneself, to see what life is really made of.
If you’ve kept a diary or journal at some point, or if you’ve inherited someone else’s, please consider contributing to the site. It’s easy and free and you are welcome to use a pseudonym if you’re not comfortable sharing your real name. All entries need to have been written at least five years ago.
“It isn’t a bit nice to get someone’s diary and read it, is it? ‘Cause a diary is a private affair (or at least supposed to be). But it’s all right for my grandchildren to read it, of course, and me in my old age. That’s the only reason I faithfully keep one. ‘Cause it really is a lot of trouble.”
Today’s Entries
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
April 26, 1997
Up at 11:00. Ate. Went to bed. Up at 3:00. Went to softball game and played 1st the whole time, but did bad because I’m SICK! Came home and showered, made cake, went to Karen’s birthday party. Courtney was there! We went to Kanki. Good as hell. Watched “Very Brady Sequel” and “Sleepers.” Really fun.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
April 26, 1960
Very windy, sun shining. Ironing a few things. Hand and arm so stiff. Guess my gall bladder acting up too.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
April 26, 1944
Rained practically all day. Floods getting worse. No mail coming from Kansas City. No Eng. class so I practiced. Tennis in gym. Of all the jumping around we did! Worn out. Studied history til 4 in the afternoon. Then Betty and I went to P.O. and cupboard. Jane, Neen, and Mary Jo came and we ate and ate!! Finally got a letter from Mum. Raining hard!! Back about 5. Good dinner but we were so full! Went to recital about 7:15. Just Mary Ann, Leslie and I there. Another girl came later. Met in Miss Good Smith’s studio. I played awful — I thought — and was more disgusted than ever. Out about 9. Walked to hall with Mary Ann. Her recital is Monday and she’s scared to death. I tried to cheer her up. So mad when I got back — disgusted with myself!! Went to Tuck. Felt better. Ready for bed — about 11 Stop Day was announced and we nearly hit the ceiling! Of all unexpected things!
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
April 26, 1887
Nellie seems to be getting along as well as could be wished for so far. The Dr. came in to see Kate this morning. The baby seems to be fretful from some cause the most of the day. I went home about 10 o’clock and shaved, took a bath etc., stayed to dinner and then I came back to help Kate. I sawed a little wood for our stove this afternoon. It has been another pleasant day. I saw Geo. Martin a few minutes, as he was on his way to Dexter. Henry borrowed my clock tonight so as to have an alarm to wake him up. I feel sleepy tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
April 26, 1862
Mr. Henry came home after 9 o’clock. We had gone to bed. I was so glad when I heard his dear familiar voice. ’Twas then I knew he was well & I thank Thy all Wise for returning my husband to his family. Cloudy all day. He went to Asheville this evening. I put some tatten on Willie’s skirt, cleaned the candle sticks & done about generally. Fannie made some pies this evening. Atheline not better. Jinnie has been sick two days, is well this evening. Dark when Mr. Henry got back from Asheville.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 36, London
April 26, 1669
Up, having lain long, and then by coach with W. Hewer to the Excise Office, and so to Lilly’s, the Varnisher; who is lately dead, and his wife and brother keep up the trade, and there I left my French prints to be put on boards:, and, while I was there, a fire burst out in a chimney of a house over against his house, but it was with a gun quickly put out. So to White Hall, and did a little business there at the Treasury chamber, and so homeward, calling at the laceman’s for some lace for my new suit, and at my tailor’s, and so home, where to dinner, and Mr. Sheres dined, with us, who come hither to-day to teach my wife the rules of perspective; but I think, upon trial, he thinks it too hard to teach her, being ignorant of the principles of lines. After dinner comes one Colonel Macnachan, one that I see often at Court, a Scotchman, but know him not; only he brings me a letter from my Lord Middleton, who, he says, is in great distress for 500l. to relieve my Lord Morton with, but upon, what account I know not; and he would have me advance it without order upon his pay for Tangier, which I was astonished at, but had the grace to deny him with an excuse. And so he went away, leaving me a little troubled that I was thus driven, on a sudden, to do any thing herein; but Creed, coming just now to see me, he approves of what I have done. And then to talk of general matters, and, by and by, Sheres being gone, my wife, and he, and I out, and I set him down at Temple Bar, and myself and wife went down the Temple upon seeming business, only to put him off, and just at the Temple gate I spied Deb. with another gentlewoman, and Deb. winked on me and smiled, but undiscovered, and I was glad to see her. So my wife and I to the ’Change, about things for her; and here, at Mrs. Burnett’s shop, I am told by Betty, who was all undressed, of a great fire happened in Durham-Yard last night, burning the house of one Lady Hungerford, who was to come to town to it this night; and so the house is burned, new furnished, by carelessness of the girl sent to take off a candle from a bunch of candles, which she did by burning it off, and left the rest, as is supposed, on fire. The King and Court were here, it seems, and stopped the fire by blowing up of the next house. The King and Court went out of town to Newmarket this morning betimes, for a week. So home, and there to my chamber, and got my wife to read to me a little, and so to supper and to bed. Coming home this night I did call at the coachmaker’s, and do resolve upon having the standards of my coach gilt with this new sort of varnish, which will come but to 40s.; and, contrary to my expectation, the doing of the biggest coach all over comes not to above 6l., which is [not] very much.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)