Dear Eric: I am 67 years old and have kept a daily diary since I was 15. I grew up in the ‘70s and things were, shall we say, a little crazy (sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, as experienced by a woman who went to a parochial school and wasn’t exactly a model of obedience). Times were different.

Now, I wonder what to do with all of these volumes of my life. I’m married, but we have no children and no relatives that I would even remotely consider entrusting the good, bad and ugly of my/our lives to. I feel as though they have historical meaning, perhaps significant to some entity, but finding that entity has been problematic. Any suggestions?

It has become such an ingrained part of my life to write every day that I would find it difficult to just stop, but if all of them are destined to end up in a landfill somewhere, I might have to make some hard choices. Incidentally, I’m seriously optimistic that I have at least a couple more decades of diaries left to write, if I do continue.

– Daily Diarist

Dear Diarist: What a beautiful gift you’ve given yourself. Please, don’t stop even if you haven’t found a historian or museum that might want your diaries, yet.

Years back, I worked with an organization called SAGE, which collects or al histories from LGBTQ+ elders relating to their experiences in housing. Our goal was to find anecdotal evidence of housing discrimination to help inform policy-making, but the best way to do that was to simply ask people to reflect on their past and tell stories. It was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life and helped me to see my own future much differently. None of us know the impact that our stories will have.

In the future, you may want to redact the spicier parts of the diaries and talk to a community organization, historian, or even a local theater company about making a donation they can use to create something new. Consider reaching out to local history departments to see if they have any grad students focusing on times you have an insight into. Talk about your diary practice with friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Tell them what this practice has meant to you and what you’ve learned.

By sharing this part of your life and letting people know the diaries exist, you may spark ideas in others. At the very least, you will likely inspire others to think about their own lives and the value of recording them. Your diaries can start doing good in the world even before they leave your grasp.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.