I don’t know about you, but when I watch television or movies, I like to get lost in them. While I’m ok with stretching my imagination to enjoy a good movie, I need the writing to be so well done that it won’t have to stretch too far. I need to be able to see the point of view of the characters to be able to really say I enjoyed the program. Sadly, this does not happen often enough. However, there is a central theme I’ve noticed in many programs, that while I know that it’sprobably due to the amount of running time the writers and directors have, have always befuddled my little ole mind. That theme is how quickly the characters seem to recover from traumatic events, relationships, setbacks, etc. I mean in the span of one movie, you can watch a heroine lose her man to her best friend, lose her job, have her home broken into, lose her savings, and venture on the verge of homelessness only to be in love with the man of her dreams, VP of her own company, making plenty of money, and with new friends—and have the fortunate experience of having her trifling ex and ex bestie see her prosper while they are now broken up, full of the herpes, and completely embarrassed. Now don’t get me wrong, I recognize this doesn’t apply to every program or movie, but there are an overwhelming number of them in which this is true. You’ve got to admit, the recovery time in movies or TV is beyond quick. And trust me, I do get it, it’s just a movie, or a show, but I told you I like to get engrossed in them. Now because I can be such an over thinker, it’s made me wonder, what would my life look like if I had a room full of writer’s writing it out for me?
If I had a writer for my life, would I have been able to get over the heartbreak I endured my senior year in high school when I learned that my first love was cheating on me? Instead of going through months of angst and breaking up to make up with him, would I have cried for two weeks straight, then moved on to my all time high school crush? What about the devastation of being an unsuccessful college student? For the first time in my life, I wasn’t an overachiever. I was a struggler. My perfectly unblemished academic career was suddenly chocked full of unsightly blemishes in the forms of hideous letters I’d never seen before on my grade reports. Letters like C and D. Oh I shudder at the memory! And don’t even get me started on my marriage! What material my writers would have with that one. But anywhoo . . . I have reflected over the events of my life and wondered. Just a little something to make me go hmm . . . And then the light bulb over my head flipped to the on position. I do have a writer! There is someone who is creating the events, the reactions to the events, and all that has been, all that will be, and all the in betweens. It’s me! I am a co-creator with the Universe on the story that is my life.
While Life has dealt me a stack of cards, it has been I who has decided which card would be combined and played to be the winning or losing hand. That senior year heartbreak? Yeah I decided to lament for months and do the back and forth dance with him. My college academic career? Yeah it was I who decided to go in as a Biology Pre-Med student knowing full well that I had no interest in Science and I am a complete right side, creative soul. And my marriage? Yep, written, directed, starring ME! I decided to marry my ex knowing full well I didn’t believe we should and knowing I couldn’t and didn’t see us lasting very long.
I am the writer of my life. I create the story for my life. Sometimes I wish I’d realized this sooner, but I recognize that at any given moment, we are exactly where we need to be. I wrote the stories best suited for me at the moment and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Now I have some experience behind me so I know a little more and instead of writing the ultra complex stories of my youth, I can write simpler, more care free stories for my present and future. I mean, who better to write my own story than I, the one living it?
Like most stories, sometimes my character’s story seems completely implausible. Sometimes my character’s motivations are completely irrational. Sometimes my character’s actions are misguided and she makes me want to scream and throw things at the screen. Sometimes I want to cheer my character on and give her a great big ole hug. Sometimes I want to send her to her room with no dinner. But most times, I’m really fond of my character and the story that I see unfolding. And if I don’t like where the story is going, I just make a new choice and re write the whole thing. Besides, I think my character is way more interesting than any thing that I’ve seen on a mere screen. But that's just the way I see it.
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