Sunday, May 06, 2007
Chapter
One of the best pieces of advice I ever got about writing, and I don't remember where I got it, was that when you start a story, there has to be some sort of change, some reason that the story starts here. The story of our lives don't have easy starting points, we don't necessarily live our lives with chapter breaks. I suppose Jesus didn't say a little number before everything he said. It's a literary device, and literature doesn't always follow real life.
On the other hand, there have been "chapters" in my life, moves, situations that upon reflection are sort of stand-alone episodes of my life, as much as anyone's life can have stand-alone chapters. They have a beginning and an end. Something changes to begin them and something changes to end them.
A chapter of my life is ending as I type. It began in August, had interesting twists in Novermber and December and will soon be over. Done. Finished.
I think of how differently it could have turned out, and how sad today could have made me. Or how indifferent I could have been about the situation. And while I'm not terribly excited or joyously happy about what's going on right now, I recognize it's for the best and it's something that I've wanted for some time now. The chapter turned out like it did, and unlike a piece of fiction, I can't change it after the fact.
It's not a story of villany, there's no bad-guy here, it's just a bunch of stuff that happened. Little gestalts that have changed me as a person, hopefully making me better able to deal with things in the future. Or not. Maybe they've made me less accepting, less able to forgive. Time will tell, I guess.
The chapter itself is over. Maybe I'll reflect on some later date. Maybe this is as much reflection as I'll do. It's done though. Now. Ironic since I've been told many times in the past it was done. It couldn't be though, not until today's events.
I'll go on with my life. I'm not sure if it's a new chapter, there isn't a number or a title over me right now, letting the readers know that I'm in for an imminent change. Things are different now. If not better for me, then easier at least.
BOJ
On the other hand, there have been "chapters" in my life, moves, situations that upon reflection are sort of stand-alone episodes of my life, as much as anyone's life can have stand-alone chapters. They have a beginning and an end. Something changes to begin them and something changes to end them.
A chapter of my life is ending as I type. It began in August, had interesting twists in Novermber and December and will soon be over. Done. Finished.
I think of how differently it could have turned out, and how sad today could have made me. Or how indifferent I could have been about the situation. And while I'm not terribly excited or joyously happy about what's going on right now, I recognize it's for the best and it's something that I've wanted for some time now. The chapter turned out like it did, and unlike a piece of fiction, I can't change it after the fact.
It's not a story of villany, there's no bad-guy here, it's just a bunch of stuff that happened. Little gestalts that have changed me as a person, hopefully making me better able to deal with things in the future. Or not. Maybe they've made me less accepting, less able to forgive. Time will tell, I guess.
The chapter itself is over. Maybe I'll reflect on some later date. Maybe this is as much reflection as I'll do. It's done though. Now. Ironic since I've been told many times in the past it was done. It couldn't be though, not until today's events.
I'll go on with my life. I'm not sure if it's a new chapter, there isn't a number or a title over me right now, letting the readers know that I'm in for an imminent change. Things are different now. If not better for me, then easier at least.
BOJ
# posted by Blind Orange Julius @ 12:23 PM 
