The last few days I spent a lot of time in the car…
Which means I read lots of books.
But it seemed like every time I was getting to the good part,
it was time to stop for gas or for lunch or to find a lost toy or my husband suddenly wanted to engage me in conversation or Owen want to show me something…..well you get the idea.
In a story, the “good part” is called the climax. (and I’m sure you all know this and don’t need an English lesson from a girl who doesn’t believe in grammar, but humor me
here…I am getting to a point…maybe….at least I hope to get to a point). When I googled climax (carefully of course or else I’d have all kinds of definitions that I could not post here)…this is the definition that popped up: “The climax is the result of the crisis. It is the high point of the story for the reader. Frequently, it is the moment of the highest interest and greatest emotion. The point at which the outcome of the conflict can be predicted.”
In addition to all this car reading, I’ve been thinking a lot about “my story”. And that it is pretty boring. If I was a book or a movie most of me would be edited out. And some of that is my fault. Exciting people takes risks. They do hard things and those are compelling. And I occasionally take risks. Like trying a new brand of detergent….but you probably don’t want to read about that.
But a lot of times what draws us in is a character’s struggle. And sure I’ve had mine. But lets be honest, most of them were middle class white girl problems which aren’t so interesting or so bad.
And I wonder why I write this blog. If I have anything to say that is of interest to anyone else. Because there is no tragedy here. My life is amazingly good and tragedy-free. Not perfect of course. We still get the flu and lose our patience and spill milk. And I struggle. With trust and discipline and pride. But we are all well fed. When we are sick we get better. We don’t always have nice new things, but we have more than enough. There are tears, but there is also lots of laughing. And the occasional living room dance party or water balloon fights.
So maybe if I want more people to read about my life…….I should start getting to the good stuff. Which in books consists of conflict and loss. In books this is where you get to “know what happens”. But in living, we don’t really ever get to know much more than a few steps ahead. And sometimes not even that. And also in living, as opposed to the reading or writing version of our lives….maybe this middle part…the boring part…is the good part. Filled with french fries and kites and roadside diners with twelve different kinds of pie.
Yes, this is definitely the good part. And it is far better than fiction.
Which means I read lots of books.
But it seemed like every time I was getting to the good part,
it was time to stop for gas or for lunch or to find a lost toy or my husband suddenly wanted to engage me in conversation or Owen want to show me something…..well you get the idea.
In a story, the “good part” is called the climax. (and I’m sure you all know this and don’t need an English lesson from a girl who doesn’t believe in grammar, but humor me
here…I am getting to a point…maybe….at least I hope to get to a point). When I googled climax (carefully of course or else I’d have all kinds of definitions that I could not post here)…this is the definition that popped up: “The climax is the result of the crisis. It is the high point of the story for the reader. Frequently, it is the moment of the highest interest and greatest emotion. The point at which the outcome of the conflict can be predicted.”
In addition to all this car reading, I’ve been thinking a lot about “my story”. And that it is pretty boring. If I was a book or a movie most of me would be edited out. And some of that is my fault. Exciting people takes risks. They do hard things and those are compelling. And I occasionally take risks. Like trying a new brand of detergent….but you probably don’t want to read about that.
But a lot of times what draws us in is a character’s struggle. And sure I’ve had mine. But lets be honest, most of them were middle class white girl problems which aren’t so interesting or so bad.
And I wonder why I write this blog. If I have anything to say that is of interest to anyone else. Because there is no tragedy here. My life is amazingly good and tragedy-free. Not perfect of course. We still get the flu and lose our patience and spill milk. And I struggle. With trust and discipline and pride. But we are all well fed. When we are sick we get better. We don’t always have nice new things, but we have more than enough. There are tears, but there is also lots of laughing. And the occasional living room dance party or water balloon fights.
So maybe if I want more people to read about my life…….I should start getting to the good stuff. Which in books consists of conflict and loss. In books this is where you get to “know what happens”. But in living, we don’t really ever get to know much more than a few steps ahead. And sometimes not even that. And also in living, as opposed to the reading or writing version of our lives….maybe this middle part…the boring part…is the good part. Filled with french fries and kites and roadside diners with twelve different kinds of pie.
Yes, this is definitely the good part. And it is far better than fiction.
Comments
Anyway, it's about finding beauty in the every day. It's there - it's writing worthy - it doesn't have to be big drama and struggles.
I don't really know where I was going with this comment, but I loved your post. I've hit that point recently, and have been thinking a lot about why I write. Even if it's about the little stuff, I like to be heard, and I want to remember all of this.