THE ROMANCE OF THE WRITTEN WORD: WHY A NOTEBOOK STILL MATTERS

By Marie. July 9, 2025

Have you read my post "TRAVELING LIKE RIZAL: A HERO'S COMPASS THROUGH THE WORLD," where I recommended a "Tip from Rizal's Playbook: Bring a notebook?" Rizal wrote constantly—not just about politics, but about sunsets, strangers, cities, and sensations. Try it on your next trip."

This post is kind of an afterthought to that post. I am trying to capture the tactile charm and timeless value of handwritten notes, echoing the spirit of Rizal. In an age of instant uploads and cloud-synced memories, the humble notebook might seem like a relic. But there’s something quietly radical about putting pen to paper—something José Rizal understood well. He didn’t just write to document; he wrote to feel, to reflect, to remember.

A physical notebook slows you down. It invites you to observe more deeply—the curve of a stranger’s smile, the hush of a twilight street, the scent of rain on old stone. Unlike a phone screen, it doesn’t buzz or distract. It listens. It holds your thoughts without judgment, your sketches without filters. There’s romance in the ink-smudged margins, in the way your handwriting shifts with your mood. Over time, your notebook becomes a travel companion, a time capsule, a mirror. It’s not just about nostalgia—it’s about presence. Writing by hand roots you in the moment.

So on your next journey, tuck a notebook into your bag. Let it catch the fleeting, the beautiful, the overlooked. As Rizal once did, write not just to record the world—but to rediscover your place in it.