Dear Diary

Dear Diary. Why does almost every personal journal entry start with these two words? So formal even though present say society has no idea what formality even means. You write dear, to show intimacy with your recipient. How many of you can honestly say you even gave the word, dear, a second thought? I never did. And if this word shows a level of intimacy why do we follow it with "Diary"? Are we so easily swayed that we allow ourselves to disclose our feelings without realizing it. Does the term, "Dear Diary," evoke the idea that someone else's eyes will come across it? I've never been the type to keep a journal. Don't get me wrong - I've tried to write one a million times but I always ended up forgetting it, one way or another. Besides the point, who do we address when we write in a journal? Apparently our Diary, but WHO is our Diary?