She curls her body into mine, as tightly pressed as she can get. She is all flannel nighty and honey shampoo and girl. And my words get softer as the story grows.
I can never tell her stories and expect sleep. Once there were words spoken over her and her eyelids would flutter and weigh with slumber closing softly to the world but now she waits for each sentence and grasps holds, fighting back yawns for the end. The moment where everything will make sense. The rights will be wronged. The hero will conquer, the wounds will heal.
She’s seven and knows the power of redemption in a story. That to truly conquer anything there must be opposition and the stronger the peril, the more interesting the story. She is beginning to understand the protagonist isn’t always perfect, that sometimes the whole story is their struggle to oppose things within themselves that would hold them back or keep them blind to their true calling. The overly sentimental tales of nursery school now seem cloying and one-dimensional and she longs for stories that bring characters to life.
She is seven. And at seven you still dream wide open. You still dress in costumes and host tea parties with dolls and chipped porcelain cups from Goodwill filled with tap water. And it is a feast. You still make forts out of sheets and chairs and couch cushions I remind them to put back when they’re done. You still make art, and see it in playdoh and finger paints splashing a divine sculpture or an enchanting scene.
For a child will unleash their imagination with such ferocity if given the tools. The words and language and time.
In each child lives a storyteller, no matter how quiet or pensive. Each child writes the world with crayon or chalk, with imaginary friends and talking stuffed animals, with Lego creations and matchbox cars. To each child, the world over, sticks are swords or bats or the frame on which to hang another dream.
The scary parts in the depths of the closet where monsters hide at night, when the nightlight glows casting about more wicked shadows is born from the depths of imagination. They are creators of their own tales, and once created, they are enchanted by them. Involved in them to the point of trembling voices and pleas for the light left on, the door wide or the comfort of mom’s bed.
We tell tales in our dreams and our fears.
We are woven in story from birth. Who we are. The making of us. In ruins or in radiance, our beginnings start in story.
And some never tuck that back away. A few feel the need to keep the script going.
Some imagination fades with age and purpose, clouded out with responsibilities and duty, grown up life where our monsters are now finances, and health, marriage problems, and depression. Where the stories we tell ourselves are less about redemption and more about obstacles. Where we are no longer sure if the end will go as we hope, the hero will win, the story will close tidily. And when we read stories all mixed and packaged perfectly, we sniff about it suspect that it contains much more than the ingredients of real life. Because real life always comes with the crumbs and the calories, the heat of the oven and the dishes left to be done.
But what if we told them anyway? What if we believed that in the telling of truth, we would begin to dream wide open again?
What if we could rewrite our narrative with a much wider text? One that strained to stay awake through the last lines and fought hard against the fading light of day, to dream wide awake.
What if we told our stories and believed they matter? What if we faced the monsters in the closet and embraced our imaginations and creativity?
Writing has been on my mind a lot this past year as I’ve blogged and connecting with so many other beautiful artists.Inspired by my poet-hearted sisters, my truth-seeking scripters, my brave and funny friends, my word loving grace soaked clan of God-women who write to make glory while pounding their keyboards, I wanted to talk about this journey. What it’s looked like for me, and maybe for you as well.
What kinds of obstacles are in our closets when we approach writing? Scheduling to inspiration, grammar to niches, kids asking for juice in the middle of your perfectly crafted sentence, jobs, paychecks and bills, and the need to do laundry every day.
We all have lives but many of us have a calling to write and I want to talk about how to make that happen.
If you want to talk all things writing, I’d love to have you along for the journey. I will be posting every Thursday until I’m done, whenever that is, on my new series. Write With All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength.
If you never want to miss a post, you can subscribe right here and get them directly to your inbox.
I love that idea of dreaming wide open. Watching my kids creativity develop has been one of the biggest pushes for me to pursue the dreams that God has for me- specifically in the realm of writing. Thanks for your faithfulness in sharing your stories, Alia! I am blessed by your words- continually!
Becky Daye recently posted..Food Fit for a King~ Sword in the Stone Party
Don’t kids just have the most fearless ideas! Love that about being a mom. I find so much inspiration from my kids. Thanks for your kind words, Becky.
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
You write so beautifully, with so much power and conviction and description. Thank you for this encouragement!
Amanda {A Royal Daughter} recently posted..Desire to Inspire# 25: Is it Wrong for Christians to Cuss?
Thank you Amanda! Glad you were encouraged to write on! I know you have a wonderful encouraging blog for so many women.
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
My sentiments exactly. We need our dreams to keep us motivated and keep our minds creative, whether it’s writing, photography, sports, sewing etc. Being in a positive frame of mind helps as well. I remember the creative minds ehen my children were young. I enjoy seeing their adult creative minds now. The young grandchildren are fun…soaking up what they see and hear. Thanks, Alie! ♡
Becky L recently posted..until further notice…
Thanks Becky. It is fun to watch the kids and some day for me, hopefully grandkids. How are your plans for Nicaragua going?
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
Oh girl, so looking forward to this. I’ve not been able to write what I feel is deep and meaningful content for almost two weeks now. I need this series!
Barbie recently posted..Inspired Blogger: {Lisa @ Four Simply Living}
Well, I hope not to disappoint. I have been dreaming up this series for awhile so I’m really excited to share it with my readers. I hope you will be inspired.
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
Alia, this is magical! So inspiring and beautiful!!
Amy Tilso recently posted..Reviewing the First Two Months of 2013
Thanks Amy. I’m really excited about this series. I have been wanting to write this for awhile but I finally got up the courage to just do it.
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
This is beautifully SAID. I’m sharing with someone who needs to read it!
Thank you, once again, ALia! ♥
Thanks Pamela. I love when people share.
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
Alia, I want to sign up for your newsletter but for some reason, the email box is not loading for me. I’ve tried two different browsers so maybe it’s my computer. But I wanted to let you know in case I’m not the only one having problems. I can see the “Subscribe Me” button but no text box for entering email.
Leann recently posted..Seasons of Change
Thanks for letting me know Leann. I’ll see if I can fix the link. You can always subscribe up in the right sidebar. I don’t know why this widget doesn’t have an email box? #SONOTTECHSAAVY
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
after words like these, Alia, i think i’d take just about any advice you have to give. what a gorgeous piece. a story — all of ours — well told.
here’s to keeping the script going!
kelli woodford recently posted..Thru Gritted Teeth {a thankful post}
Thanks Kelli! An honor coming from one who does what you do with words.
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
I have longed to read this post ALL Day — since yesterday– but time had its way with me and I am finally settling in… and I’ve had a question on my mind since this morning to ask you… and I think that you just opened the door with these words and your question –> What kinds of obstacles are in our closets when we approach writing? —> Its been pressing on my mind lately that I stop just short, just short of wide open writing – and I am here to tell you that I am afraid – not about the writing – that I am coming to grips with – but that my story is so messy and so convoluded and it involves so many people who might be hurt by my words. So where does it come from this transparency that ooozes grace? I think I am holding so tightly to how other people (people I love and people who have hurt me) might react. So I hold this story in and the messy bits about abuse at the hands of a father and a baby sitter, about abandonment, about divorce and depression – I hold it in tight fists so that anxiety just weighs me down… I want to write my story – I want to stich the ugly and the beautiful that is my story to the canvas of Christ and let others see the masterpiece that He made me to be (Okay — that was corny. So friend… How? I am not sure that any of this made sense… Love you!
Tonya Salomons recently posted..Five Minute Friday – Home
Love you too, Tonya. We really just need to chat. One on one. I will be writing in this series about a lot of things and there are some really practical applications I use for how/what to share and how/ what to hold back but in terms of your specific story, it would be good to interact. Maybe we can do a facebook chat or a google hangout soon?
Alia Joy recently posted..Five Minute Friday:Home
I would love that… a chat with you… are you on Google+ I just discovered it… facebook works too… Your schedule is perhaps a tad crazier than mine so just let me know what works for you!! Thank you for hearing me… I knew you would.
Tonya Salomons recently posted..My Sin was There
I’ll DM you to set up a time. Next week works best for me. I’m on Google + and facebook.
Loved all of it, but especially this -> “And when we read stories all mixed and packaged perfectly, we sniff about it suspect that it contains much more than the ingredients of real life. Because real life always comes with the crumbs and the calories, the heat of the oven and the dishes left to be done.”
May we find courage to tell our story!
Yes, it takes courage! But it’s also so liberating to know you’re reading someones truth. Without all the false pretenses. That we can see beauty in the redeemed and imperfect and ordinary because God shines through it all!
Alia Joy recently posted..Sold: Anna’s Story Part 2