It's odd to me the events I remember from my youth, and it's even more odd to me the way I remember some of those events in such vivid detail ... such vivid detail that it's almost as if they took place yesterday. For example, I distinctly remember a spring day when I was 17 years old ... I remember leaning up against Daddy's lime green pickup truck (the ugliest truck ever, by the way) as I tried desperately to convince him that I really had not been sneaking sips of Jack Daniels from the bottle he kept in a cabinet in the downstairs kitchen, the Jack Daniels Daddy kept for "medicinal" purposes. I remember that I was wearing a white cowboy hat, overalls and a white Adidas short-sleeved tennis shirt trimmed with two green stripes on each sleeve. I know what you're thinking ... my awesome sense of style was present even all those years ago. Seriously though, I think the reason that particular day is so clearly etched in my mind is because of the two huge lessons I learned before the sun set that evening.
The first lesson was the hardest of the two, the one that has made my heart ache more than a time or two down through the years. You see, I hurt my dad that day by lying to him about the Jack Daniels ... he knew the truth, and though I wouldn't admit it, I knew he knew the truth. And yet, I leaned against the gate of Daddy's ugly truck, looked into his sad brown eyes and lied like a dog about the booze. There are more than a few things in my life that I'd like to have a do-over on ... that day I lied to my dad about sneaking his Jack Daniels ranks right up at the top of the list. I remember thinking, "I'll tell him the truth someday ... someday, I'll tell Daddy the truth." I never did, though ... I never did tell him that I lied about the booze ... I never did, and all these years later, that lie still haunts me.
My second big lesson came later in the day as Daddy was stacking firewood on the metal racks he had built on one side of the detached garage at the end of the driveway. He was moving the older, drier wood to the front rack so that he could place the newer, greener wood on the farthest rack. I was sitting on the porch reading a book and pouting because Daddy had told me I couldn't go out with my friends that night as punishment for lying to him. Mom was sitting in a chair across from me shelling peas into a kettle that was perched on her lap. All of a sudden, Daddy ran out from where he had been stacking the wood, his arms flailing about as he yelled that he needed help. I remember Mom jumping up from the chair and the kettle falling from her lap onto the concrete, spilling peas everywhere. I couldn't figure out what was going on, but as Mom got close to Daddy, she turned and shouted for me to get the water hose. Though I was still pouting and angry about having to stay home for the evening, I could tell from the tone in Mom's voice that I needed to do what she said and do it quickly. As I tried to untangle the hose and drag it into the yard, I saw Daddy peel off his clothes and toss them to Mom, who by then was screaming for me to hurry with the hose ... quite the surreal scene even now when I think about it. It's not every day that a teenager sees her dad in the back yard in nothing but his underwear while her mom runs around screaming like a banshee ... one of those events that you never imagine happening, you know? I'm sure by now many of you have figured out what was going on ... Daddy had disturbed a large bees' nest as he moved the firewood. By the time it was all said and done, Mom had driven the bees away by dousing Daddy with water from the hose, but not before he had been stung multiple times from head to toe. As I watched Mom care for Daddy, I was keenly aware that had Daddy been allergic to bee stings, he could have easily died that day. I remember thinking that all of a sudden, lying to Daddy about the Jack Daniels seemed so very, very stupid.
The expression "stirred up a nest of hornets" took on all new meaning for me that day, and that same expression has been pounding in my brain for the last couple of days. It's hard for me to believe, but my last couple of posts have definitely stirred up a big old nest of hornets ... hornets that started swarming on Tuesday evening ... hornets that are still swarming even tonight. And here's the thing that disturbs me the most about that, friends ... my previous two posts were about being kind to one another. Let me say that again ... those posts were about kindness ... nothing more, nothing less ... those posts were about being kind to one another. I find it absolutely, totally and completely ironic that my posts about being kind generated a mountain of unkind commentary ... no, ironic isn't the right word at all. I find it absolutely, totally and completely sad that my posts about being kind generated a mountain of unkind commentary. And though I specifically said in last night's post that I did not ever want to have my blog become a platform for anything or anyone, I think I'm going to have to abandon that claim for tonight.
So here's my platform ... my fight, if you will ... my cause that I will support and proclaim until the day I draw my final breath. We should be kind to one another. Jesus told us to be kind to one another. The Bible tells us to be kind to one another. I don't care if you're the CEO of the largest company in the world or if you're the homeless person who sleeps under the overpass on the boulevard near my office. I don't care if you're male or if you're female. I don't care if you're young or if you're old. I don't care if you're a dog person or if you're a cat person. I don't care if you're beautiful or if you're homely. I don't care if you're a preacher or if you're a criminal. I don't care if you're straight or if you're gay. I care about whether or not you are kind. I firmly believe that being kind has nothing to do with any of those things I just mentioned and everything ... absolutely, totally and completely ... everything to do with a person's heart. And here's something else I firmly believe ... I think God would say the same thing ... that being kind is about a person's heart. And. Absolutely. Nothing. Else. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Else.
The two lessons I learned from Daddy all those years ago hold truer for me now than ever before. Lying about who I am is very, very stupid. If I'm allergic to bees and I get stung a lot, I could die.
Tell the truth. Remember that life is short. Be kind to one another. Period.
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32
Friday, March 22, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
So ... About That Whole Kindness Thing ...
I'm warning you right up front that this post is one that should carry with it one of my semi-famous disclaimers: This post is going to make some of you angry and some of you abundantly happy. Some of you will say it's about time I spoke up, and some of you will say I should go crawl under a rock and die. Oh, wait ... some of you have spoken those very statements to me already. So, if you want to keep reading, read on, and if you don't, then click off the page and go have a Starbuck's frappucino or something equally as sugary. Someone should be eating or drinking sugar after all, and it's sure not going to be me. One more thing before I say what I feel I need to say tonight ... I have never wanted this blog to be a platform for any cause, any person or any thing. The reason I started writing it was because the guy who did the website for my speaking ministry told me I needed to have a blog attached to it. But as those of you who read each day know, the blog became way more than that to me, especially throughout the last three or so years. It became a form of therapy for me, a place to share my thoughts and musings, many of which were tied in with my faith in God and my love for my children, my family and my friends. And for some reason that I will never understand, many of you connect with my meager words and relate to the ups and downs of my journey through life. I say those things to say this ... from time to time, I will feel the need to address certain issues or write about difficult things, and just because I feel led to do that, it doesn't make me militant or divisive or a bad person or a trouble-maker or any of those. What it does make me is human ... a real live person with feelings and emotions and opinions that may not always be the same as yours. So again I say, if you want to keep reading, read on, and if you don't, go to Starbuck's and have an extra frappucino for me.
So ... remember what I wrote about last night? I wrote about the line Ellen closes her show with ... "Be kind to one another." And today, I received emails and messages from a lot of you ... a whole lot of you, actually ... and some were nice and some weren't. To those of you who were nice and really "got" what I was saying, thank you so very much for your kind and encouraging words. To those of you who weren't nice, I have a couple of things to say. I wrote about Ellen and what she says at the end of her show because I believe we should do what she says and be kind to one another. Period. There was no "hidden agenda" in what I wrote, as some suggested, going so far as to say that by writing about Ellen, I am promoting the "gay lifestyle." And though I said in January that I wasn't going to write about it again, I'm growing rather weary of the multitude of questions I receive each week about my relationship status and the comments about my sexuality. Though I am in no way obligated to respond, I'm going to because I want those who didn't get what I was saying last night to get it tonight. I'm still gay, pretty sure I always have been and always will be, and I am not in a relationship. Period. I wrote what I wrote last night for one reason only ... I think we all need to be kinder to one another, and yes, that absolutely includes me, and I absolutely included myself in what I wrote last night about the ways we are unkind to one another. Key word there: WE ... that means me, too.
Something occurred this evening that caused me to get more than a bit fired up; in fact, that's an understatement. I'm ticked off in a big way. At first, I thought I would spew out all the details of what took place, but then I decided that the best way to close my post tonight is to tell you what I think kindness is and is not. And my hope and prayer (yes, I do still pray for those who say I do not) for each of you is that perhaps after reading tonight, you'll speak a little more gently, you'll love a little more unconditionally, you'll stand a little more firmly behind those who need you most ... my hope and prayer for each of you is that you will be a little kinder to one another. Period. No hidden agenda, no right or wrong, no good or bad, no nothing ... just be kind to one another, just be a little kinder.
Kindness is:
Helping an old lady put her groceries in her car at Walmart.
Listening to someone who desperately needs a listening ear.
Holding hands with a little kid who is frightened.
Smiling at others when your own heart is wounded and bleeding.
Forgiving though you may not be forgiven in return.
Washing your neighbor's car on a sunny day.
Looking for the best in everyone first.
Rubbing an old dog's tummy as she lays in the sun.
Praying.
Buying Girl Scout cookies and giving them away.
Removing your shoes and placing them on shoeless feet.
Being there for people in good times and bad.
Giving money to those in need.
Volunteering to help those less fortunate.
Reading a book to an elderly gentleman in the retirement home.
Visiting, calling, emailing and texting those who are hurting or sick or sad or distraught or lonely or disabled or ... different.
Loving the unlovable.
Loving the sinner.
Loving the homeless.
Loving the tired.
Loving the weak.
Loving the rich.
Loving the poor.
Loving ... your ... neighbor.
Kindness is NOT:
Looking down on anyone who's not like you.
Distancing yourself when issues arise.
Making jokes at someone else's expense.
Betraying a confidence.
Judging someone ... judging anyone.
Laughing at another's misfortune.
Spreading rumors or gossiping.
Reaching out to another because someone told you to.
Turning your back on someone in need.
Keeping silent when you should be talking.
Running away from the unlovable.
Running away from the sinner.
Running away from the homeless.
Running away from the tired.
Running away from the weak.
Running away from the rich.
Running away from the poor.
Running ... away ... from ... your ... neighbor.
So ... about that whole kindness thing ...
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32
So ... remember what I wrote about last night? I wrote about the line Ellen closes her show with ... "Be kind to one another." And today, I received emails and messages from a lot of you ... a whole lot of you, actually ... and some were nice and some weren't. To those of you who were nice and really "got" what I was saying, thank you so very much for your kind and encouraging words. To those of you who weren't nice, I have a couple of things to say. I wrote about Ellen and what she says at the end of her show because I believe we should do what she says and be kind to one another. Period. There was no "hidden agenda" in what I wrote, as some suggested, going so far as to say that by writing about Ellen, I am promoting the "gay lifestyle." And though I said in January that I wasn't going to write about it again, I'm growing rather weary of the multitude of questions I receive each week about my relationship status and the comments about my sexuality. Though I am in no way obligated to respond, I'm going to because I want those who didn't get what I was saying last night to get it tonight. I'm still gay, pretty sure I always have been and always will be, and I am not in a relationship. Period. I wrote what I wrote last night for one reason only ... I think we all need to be kinder to one another, and yes, that absolutely includes me, and I absolutely included myself in what I wrote last night about the ways we are unkind to one another. Key word there: WE ... that means me, too.
Something occurred this evening that caused me to get more than a bit fired up; in fact, that's an understatement. I'm ticked off in a big way. At first, I thought I would spew out all the details of what took place, but then I decided that the best way to close my post tonight is to tell you what I think kindness is and is not. And my hope and prayer (yes, I do still pray for those who say I do not) for each of you is that perhaps after reading tonight, you'll speak a little more gently, you'll love a little more unconditionally, you'll stand a little more firmly behind those who need you most ... my hope and prayer for each of you is that you will be a little kinder to one another. Period. No hidden agenda, no right or wrong, no good or bad, no nothing ... just be kind to one another, just be a little kinder.
Kindness is:
Helping an old lady put her groceries in her car at Walmart.
Listening to someone who desperately needs a listening ear.
Holding hands with a little kid who is frightened.
Smiling at others when your own heart is wounded and bleeding.
Forgiving though you may not be forgiven in return.
Washing your neighbor's car on a sunny day.
Looking for the best in everyone first.
Rubbing an old dog's tummy as she lays in the sun.
Praying.
Buying Girl Scout cookies and giving them away.
Removing your shoes and placing them on shoeless feet.
Being there for people in good times and bad.
Giving money to those in need.
Volunteering to help those less fortunate.
Reading a book to an elderly gentleman in the retirement home.
Visiting, calling, emailing and texting those who are hurting or sick or sad or distraught or lonely or disabled or ... different.
Loving the unlovable.
Loving the sinner.
Loving the homeless.
Loving the tired.
Loving the weak.
Loving the rich.
Loving the poor.
Loving ... your ... neighbor.
Kindness is NOT:
Looking down on anyone who's not like you.
Distancing yourself when issues arise.
Making jokes at someone else's expense.
Betraying a confidence.
Judging someone ... judging anyone.
Laughing at another's misfortune.
Spreading rumors or gossiping.
Reaching out to another because someone told you to.
Turning your back on someone in need.
Keeping silent when you should be talking.
Running away from the unlovable.
Running away from the sinner.
Running away from the homeless.
Running away from the tired.
Running away from the weak.
Running away from the rich.
Running away from the poor.
Running ... away ... from ... your ... neighbor.
So ... about that whole kindness thing ...
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Be Kind to One Another
When I switched my cable and Internet service a couple of years ago, I got a free DVR. A free DVR that my sons and son-in-law tried to teach me how to use way back then ... key word being "tried." I remembered their instructions for, oh, maybe a couple of days or so, and then no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out how in the world to make the darned DVR record a show. But a couple of weeks ago, I decided I was going to conquer the blasted silver machine so that I could record two shows ... The Big Bang Theory and Ellen. I'd like to tell you that I was able to figure it out on my own, but alas, that would not be the truth. The truth is that after trying for two hours to make the DVR do what I wanted it to do, I gave up and called AT&T's customer help line. And you know what? I was making the process way harder than it needed to be ... way, way harder. Now that I think about it, there's a huge pearl of wisdom in that statement ... I do the same thing in life, too, at times ... make the process way harder than it needs to be, that is.
So, back to my DVR ... now that I've mastered the DVR beast that resides next to my television, I can watch The Big Bang Theory or Ellen anytime I want. Like at 3 a.m. when I can't sleep, for example. Or on Sunday afternoon. I can watch as many episodes as I want to as well, and I don't have to watch the commercials unless they are really good ones (like the ones my company creates). I seriously think I could watch Sheldon Cooper for a week straight, by the way ... I'm pretty sure he may be my twin brother and we were separated at birth. So you know, I'm typing this post as I sit in my spot on my couch ... my spot ... and in an hour or so, I will be eating sugar-free Jello with Cool Whip like I do every single night. Tonight is orange Jello night ... orange Jello and Cool Whip tastes quite a bit like a Creamsicle, one of my favorite ice cream treats before diabetes. Oh my goodness, that's quite a bunny trail digression even for me ... sorry. (I do love Sheldon, though.)
Those of you who've been reading along with me for a while know that I would love to be on Ellen's show one day. And those of you who actually know me personally know that I would really, really, really love to be on Ellen's show one day. For the record, I don't like Ellen because she's like me ... I like Ellen because she does a ton of good for a ton of people ... a ton of good. And she's simply hilarious ... her sense of humor obviously strikes a chord with a lot of people since her show has been on the air for 10 years now. I haven't been able to watch Ellen other than clips on YouTube for the last few years unless I was home sick or on vacation because her show airs while I'm at work. I'm a happy camper now that I can watch her show when I get home in the evenings thanks to my newfound DVR expertise. While I enjoy many things about Ellen's show, there is one thing she does every day that I truly love, love, love. Every day when she closes her show, Ellen says, "Be kind to one another."
For the last week or so, I haven't been able to get those words out of my mind ... be kind to one another. I'm sure many of you could share stories of when someone was unkind to you ... the sad truth is that many of us have been treated unkindly at times. And the real truth is that life is way, way, way too short to be unkind to others or to have others be unkind to you ... or to me either, for that matter. I think Ellen's mantra should become the mantra of every single person on earth ... be kind to one another. Just imagine what the world would be if we all practiced kindness ... if we all demonstrated compassion ... if we all played nice and fairly ... if we all lived with integrity and honor. Seriously, think of what the world would be if we were all kind to our families ... if we were all kind to our friends ... if we were all kind to our co-workers ... if we were all kind to the server at the restaurant ... if we were all kind to the homeless man on the street ... if we were all kind to the person sitting on the row behind us in church ... if we were all kind to everyone with whom we come in contact. But instead, we so often betray one another, shout at one another, condemn one another, hurt one another, judge one another, lie to one another ... it's true, and you know it just as I do.
So thanks, Ellen, for reminding me each day that when the day comes that I draw my final breath, I want people to say of me, "Terrie was kind to all people." Yep, I would be good with that being the legacy I leave behind ... I'd be really, really, really good with that.
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32
So, back to my DVR ... now that I've mastered the DVR beast that resides next to my television, I can watch The Big Bang Theory or Ellen anytime I want. Like at 3 a.m. when I can't sleep, for example. Or on Sunday afternoon. I can watch as many episodes as I want to as well, and I don't have to watch the commercials unless they are really good ones (like the ones my company creates). I seriously think I could watch Sheldon Cooper for a week straight, by the way ... I'm pretty sure he may be my twin brother and we were separated at birth. So you know, I'm typing this post as I sit in my spot on my couch ... my spot ... and in an hour or so, I will be eating sugar-free Jello with Cool Whip like I do every single night. Tonight is orange Jello night ... orange Jello and Cool Whip tastes quite a bit like a Creamsicle, one of my favorite ice cream treats before diabetes. Oh my goodness, that's quite a bunny trail digression even for me ... sorry. (I do love Sheldon, though.)
Those of you who've been reading along with me for a while know that I would love to be on Ellen's show one day. And those of you who actually know me personally know that I would really, really, really love to be on Ellen's show one day. For the record, I don't like Ellen because she's like me ... I like Ellen because she does a ton of good for a ton of people ... a ton of good. And she's simply hilarious ... her sense of humor obviously strikes a chord with a lot of people since her show has been on the air for 10 years now. I haven't been able to watch Ellen other than clips on YouTube for the last few years unless I was home sick or on vacation because her show airs while I'm at work. I'm a happy camper now that I can watch her show when I get home in the evenings thanks to my newfound DVR expertise. While I enjoy many things about Ellen's show, there is one thing she does every day that I truly love, love, love. Every day when she closes her show, Ellen says, "Be kind to one another."
For the last week or so, I haven't been able to get those words out of my mind ... be kind to one another. I'm sure many of you could share stories of when someone was unkind to you ... the sad truth is that many of us have been treated unkindly at times. And the real truth is that life is way, way, way too short to be unkind to others or to have others be unkind to you ... or to me either, for that matter. I think Ellen's mantra should become the mantra of every single person on earth ... be kind to one another. Just imagine what the world would be if we all practiced kindness ... if we all demonstrated compassion ... if we all played nice and fairly ... if we all lived with integrity and honor. Seriously, think of what the world would be if we were all kind to our families ... if we were all kind to our friends ... if we were all kind to our co-workers ... if we were all kind to the server at the restaurant ... if we were all kind to the homeless man on the street ... if we were all kind to the person sitting on the row behind us in church ... if we were all kind to everyone with whom we come in contact. But instead, we so often betray one another, shout at one another, condemn one another, hurt one another, judge one another, lie to one another ... it's true, and you know it just as I do.
So thanks, Ellen, for reminding me each day that when the day comes that I draw my final breath, I want people to say of me, "Terrie was kind to all people." Yep, I would be good with that being the legacy I leave behind ... I'd be really, really, really good with that.
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32
Monday, March 18, 2013
Not Tonight, Dear
When I was younger, I got migraine headaches a lot. So much so, in fact, that the doctors thought there was something seriously wrong inside my head because they didn't know much about migraines back then. I've written before about the ways Mom used to try to help stop the pain inside my head, bless her heart ... I never understood that my pain caused her to hurt until I had children of my own. Now I understand that Mom would have willingly taken all of my pain upon herself if she could have just so that I didn't have to hurt. I think that's true for most of us as parents ... we'd much rather hurt ourselves than see our kiddos have to endure any kind of pain.
I don't get headaches often anymore, not even just regular run-of-the-mill headaches, and I can't remember when I've had a migraine. But I've had a dull, throbbing headache for the last two and a half days ... one of those headaches that isn't severe enough to keep me from going about my daily routine, but it's just bad enough to make me crankly and cause me to feel sort of cruddy.
We all know the jokes about "Not tonight, dear ... I have a headache," and we all know what those jokes are in reference to. And yes, I know I just ended a sentence with a preposition. And shame on you for thinking this post was going to be about sex. I'm going to employ the words from the jokes in a different manner tonight in regard to my post. This is all you get tonight, because my head hurts. And it hurts enough to make my brain feel mushy and void of the necessary spark I need in order to be eloquent or to wax philosophical in the wording of this post.
Hopefully, by tomorrow evening, my headache will have disappeared and I'll write a real post. But not tonight, dear ... I have a headache.
I don't get headaches often anymore, not even just regular run-of-the-mill headaches, and I can't remember when I've had a migraine. But I've had a dull, throbbing headache for the last two and a half days ... one of those headaches that isn't severe enough to keep me from going about my daily routine, but it's just bad enough to make me crankly and cause me to feel sort of cruddy.
We all know the jokes about "Not tonight, dear ... I have a headache," and we all know what those jokes are in reference to. And yes, I know I just ended a sentence with a preposition. And shame on you for thinking this post was going to be about sex. I'm going to employ the words from the jokes in a different manner tonight in regard to my post. This is all you get tonight, because my head hurts. And it hurts enough to make my brain feel mushy and void of the necessary spark I need in order to be eloquent or to wax philosophical in the wording of this post.
Hopefully, by tomorrow evening, my headache will have disappeared and I'll write a real post. But not tonight, dear ... I have a headache.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Me and the Marvelous E
Have you ever had a habit? No, not the outfit nuns wear. A habit, something you do over and over and over again. Have you ever had one? Some habits are good, you know, like eating an apple every day. I've heard that keeps the doctor away. Obviously, I don't eat anywhere near enough apples. Some habits are bad, like drinking a fifth of Jack Daniels every day. Not good at all for your liver. Thank goodness, Jack Daniels was never my booze of choice back in the day when I was a heavy drinker. Oh wait, do you think gin and tonic or vodka and orange juice is bad for your liver, too? Uh oh. I guess it's a good thing I never drink that kind of stuff anymore. I suppose there are some habits that fall into sort of a gray area, like biting your nails or drinking a Starbuck's cafe vanilla frappucino with extra caramel inside the cup and on top rather than eating an apple every day (not that anyone would ever do that) or popping your gum in public or whispering in church.
I have one of those, a gray area kind of habit, that is. It's a habit that involves my writing, and I'm not really sure where I picked it up. Some of you think it's the worst possible habit a writer can have, while others of you think it's kind of my trademark. And some of you have even used the word "cute" in regard to my literary habit. I'm not sure I like that description, by the way. Reaching the supreme level of cuteness isn't exactly what I was going for in my writing. For some reason that I can't quite figure out, however, I haven't been able to get my personal scribing habit out of my mind. Now that I think about it, that's sort of a profound statement, isn't it? Habits become habits, after all, when they take up residence in our minds and establish themselves as part of our daily routine. But back to the monkey on my own author-ish back.
Since many of you are gifted writers in and of your own right, I'm sure you've already guessed what my literary monkey is. Yes, my name is Terrie, and I'm completely and totally hooked on using ellipses when I write. I use them when I write notes or letters to my family and friends. I use them when I write presentations for speaking. I use them when I write books. I use them when I write posts for this blog. See here's the thing. Ellipses are fun. Ellipses are perfect to indicate a pause. Ellipses are great indicators that the thought following them is worth reading. Three little dots that pack so much meaning. Dashes don't have the power that ellipses do. Commas don't have the oomph that ellipses have. Yes, my name is Terrie, and I have a deep affinity for using ellipses when I write.
This morning, I decided that perhaps it's time to try and break my ellipses habit. I decided that perhaps it's time to try and grow up a bit as a writer. That's why my post tonight has no ellipses in it. Not even one. And you know what? It's killing me not to use them. It feels wrong to write without them. My sentences feel unnatural. Labored. Strained. Chopped. Wrong. My sentences feel wrong without my beloved ellipses. A thought just came to me. What if God writes the story of my life using ellipses? What if He puts three little dots after some of the big events to show me there's more to come? What if He uses ellipses to tell me to wait, to stay, to keep looking for what's ahead?
Growing up is way overrated ... welcome home, little dots ... welcome home, my little ellipses pals ... I missed you guys.
I have one of those, a gray area kind of habit, that is. It's a habit that involves my writing, and I'm not really sure where I picked it up. Some of you think it's the worst possible habit a writer can have, while others of you think it's kind of my trademark. And some of you have even used the word "cute" in regard to my literary habit. I'm not sure I like that description, by the way. Reaching the supreme level of cuteness isn't exactly what I was going for in my writing. For some reason that I can't quite figure out, however, I haven't been able to get my personal scribing habit out of my mind. Now that I think about it, that's sort of a profound statement, isn't it? Habits become habits, after all, when they take up residence in our minds and establish themselves as part of our daily routine. But back to the monkey on my own author-ish back.
Since many of you are gifted writers in and of your own right, I'm sure you've already guessed what my literary monkey is. Yes, my name is Terrie, and I'm completely and totally hooked on using ellipses when I write. I use them when I write notes or letters to my family and friends. I use them when I write presentations for speaking. I use them when I write books. I use them when I write posts for this blog. See here's the thing. Ellipses are fun. Ellipses are perfect to indicate a pause. Ellipses are great indicators that the thought following them is worth reading. Three little dots that pack so much meaning. Dashes don't have the power that ellipses do. Commas don't have the oomph that ellipses have. Yes, my name is Terrie, and I have a deep affinity for using ellipses when I write.
This morning, I decided that perhaps it's time to try and break my ellipses habit. I decided that perhaps it's time to try and grow up a bit as a writer. That's why my post tonight has no ellipses in it. Not even one. And you know what? It's killing me not to use them. It feels wrong to write without them. My sentences feel unnatural. Labored. Strained. Chopped. Wrong. My sentences feel wrong without my beloved ellipses. A thought just came to me. What if God writes the story of my life using ellipses? What if He puts three little dots after some of the big events to show me there's more to come? What if He uses ellipses to tell me to wait, to stay, to keep looking for what's ahead?
Growing up is way overrated ... welcome home, little dots ... welcome home, my little ellipses pals ... I missed you guys.
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