Special reflections

By Klaus Döring

“My special reflections” means your own deep, personal thoughts and feelings about your life, experiences or a specific topic. It is an inward look at what matters most to you.

Simply put, self-reflection, also known as “personal reflection,” is taking the time to think about, meditate on, evaluate and give serious thought to your behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, motivations and desires. That’s what I am doing now.

Not long ago, I marked a milestone: 65 years since my first article was published in a daily newspaper. I began keeping all the clippings from then on. Believe me, they could fill a book. As I reread my first articles, I was amazed that I had kept it up. But now, you couldn’t pay me to stop.

Nowadays, all my publications are stored in my electronic archive.

Back to my clippings. Can you imagine that there are benefits to keeping them? From my life experiences, I have learned that progress and failure are both parts of my journey. My columns are mostly like looking into a mirror. I am reminded of God’s grace when I reread what I previously wrote about how He helped me find solutions to problems. I have also gained insights from past struggles that help me with issues I am currently facing. I remember one of my previous columns titled “If Failures Get Results.”

God has indeed been faithfully working in my life.

I read a story by Dennis Fisher, who did not keep published clippings but maintained a spiritual journal. He advised: “Journalism may be useful to you too. It can help you see more clearly what God is teaching you on life’s journey. To begin a journal, record your struggles, reflect on a verse that is especially comforting or challenging, or write a prayer of thankfulness for God’s faithfulness.”

Reflection in life means pausing to look inward, evaluate your actions and understand the deeper reasons behind your thoughts and feelings. It connects raw experiences to personal purpose, helping you learn from the past and choose a better path forward.

A reflection has three parts. First, retell the facts, summarize the main points and describe the significant concepts or details. Second, relate them to your previous experiences by giving examples and making connections. Third, compare and contrast your retelling with your previous knowledge and experiences.

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Email: doringklaus@gmail.com, follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn, or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com.