Saturday, February 27, 2010

I'm writing a story, only I didn't know it. I reckon it's not the kind of story which will ever be published. It's the story of my life, and it's such a good story because that's who I am. I've been writing it since I was born.

Thicket Dweller generously gave me a book which I'm now devouring called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. No stones thrown please when I say I did not go crazy for his Blue Like Jazz, but this book is about a million miles and a thousand years better for me. In Million, Donald mentions his previous lack of direction, and perhaps I caught onto that rather the snippets which vaulted his Blue to such fame. Makes me wonder if random and ADD weren't so darn popular these days, if Blue could have hit any printing press. Anyhow, all is forgiven as I fall head over heels into Million.

Here's the quote which sunk smack into my soul this morning, but first, let me set it up. Donald describes how a buddy of his, a dad, started living a better story in order to woo his teenage daughter back from a bad boyfriend. The dad took out a second mortgage and started building an orphanage in Mexico after finding poverty in the thoughtless way he'd been living. The daughter asked the dad if her family could go to Mexico together and take pictures in order to involve other people. And she dumps the jerk.


No girl who plays the role of a hero dates a guy who uses her. She knows who she is. She just forgot for a little while.


I haven't forgotten who I am, but I'm encouraged to be the hero of my own novel. Hope it ends well. Though my plot has changed drastically these last six months, I'm working towards the best possible conclusion at the end of the days God gives me. Right now the outcome looks much less like a Nicholas Sparks book and more like Come be my Light, but it's all good.

3 comments:

Thicket Dweller said...

Oh, True. I can not even begin to tell you how very much it means to me that you received, are reading, and got something from this book. While we are sometimes down, we are definitely NOT out. Thank you for the reminder that I'm writing a story, and that, while I may not have recognition by the masses, the story I'm writing *means* something to individual people. I'm so blessed to know you.

truevyne said...

Thicket, finished the book last night. so inspiring. thank you. thank you. thank you.

Gary said...

Thanks for letting me know that I'm not the only one who wasn't blown away by Blue Like Jazz. I had no plans to pick up his new one, but I'll see if I can borrow a copy, based on this.