How did your writing change with the implied presence of a reader? Even when you're writing to and for yourself, when you have no intention of anyone else ever reading it, there must be differences than when you are writing for yourself, but with the thought that your daughters will read it someday. The urge to phrase more beautifully, to better capture pearls of insight, to instruct--I don't see how it could help but change your writing when there is an audience involved, even posthumously.

I have a journal for each child, and I write *to* them, directly, telling them about themselves and me at whatever time I happen to pick it up. I haven't updated in years, and I really should. But in that case, it's clearly Mom talking to them, which is different.

~A

~A