Perspective

life has been so busy lately. i’ve been going, and going, and going... and then suddenly, i realize, i haven’t been on here in over a month. and you know? maybe that’s not as bad as i’ve been feeling it is. sitting down here, again writing words, i suddenly realize that maybe there’s something rather special about only posting on here sometimes, instead of flooding it with words. i remember when i used to post every day. i’d rack my brain for things to write. most of the time, it probably wasn’t that interesting, even to me, and i was writing it. it was because i lacked inspiration - lacked anything to write about at all. i was writing simply for the sake of writing, instead of having something to say. i’m not saying randomness is a bad thing - i love randomness. i’m random all the time. i’ll randomly belt out “do you want to build a snowman?” from the disney movie frozen while walking to the fridge. but in our randomness, we still usually have something to say. “this is what’s been happening in my life.” “oh yeah... this crazy thing happened to me the other day.” “i realize this is a bunny trail, but... i have this really hilarious story that i just have to tell you.” and now, as i sit here? i realize i have something to say, too.

sometimes, i’ll glance at something and, instead of seeing it in the old light that i always saw it in, i feel like there’s this new life to it. i finally slow down, and i see it for what others might see it as. as what it really looks like. sometimes things get so familiar - flowers, grass, trees, stars, that coffee cup on the counter - that they start becoming just a blur of things that are ordinary. but really, when you think about, everything is so extraordinary! i think that’s one of the reasons that i love photography. it puts things into perspective. for just that moment, as you’re focusing your lens on something, that’s all that’s there. everything else is blurred into the background. and suddenly you see the beauty, right there in front of you.

i’ve been noticing the stars lately. they are gorgeous. i want to try - somehow, some way - to capture them on camera. like they actually look, though. if i ever do, i hope to share the results with all of you. i love standing in the dark of the night, staring up, and seeing millions upon millions of twinkling lights smiling down at me. God created an amazing then when He created the stars.

i’ve lately been working on a story idea that i came up with late last year. it’s from the point of view of three different people, and it starts out coming from the point of view of a girl named Ravenna. i had figured out the main plot, decided on the personalities of my favorite characters, and, even, made some maps of the fictional place that i was creating. but then it came down to writing the story. i had started writing it, got bored, moved on to other stories. i would come back once in a while, read it, get bored again, and move along. and that’s when i decided, “i’ve got to change this.” so i started a new manuscript from scratch. everything that i’d plotted out before was the same, but i wanted to change what i’d done with the details. i tried, didn’t like it. i tried, didn’t like it. i don’t know how many versions of this girl’s point of view - Ravenna - that i went through. usually when i write stories, i don’t have rough drafts and then final drafts - i just write, and the story usually comes out. (i just write for fun, though.) but with Ravenna? everything was different. i kept on trying to get it right, and it just... wasn’t. i was realizing that i was getting Ravenna all wrong. she wasn’t supposed to be like i kept on painting her to be.  i kept on getting her perspective on things wrong. and so i had to really stop and think about how her perspective was on things. she felt and acted in different ways, which was why it was so confusing. everyone expected her to be one way, so that’s how she was - but now she really was on the inside. Ravenna is an interesting character and, finally, i think i managed to paint her as well as she could be. i finished her first part, and then i started on the second character’s part. the funny thing? i finished his in a single day. the third character? i’m working on it, but, after my first draft, i think i’m going to tweak it just a little. but, thankfully, i think i’ve got his perspective down pretty well.

it’s kind of interesting - when you write stories, it’s kind of like you’re asking the question, “what was life like from their perspective?” you try to come up with a conflict or something that’s going on, and then you insert a character and try to relay what’s going on. but it’s their perspective. i think that’s part of the challenge - making sure you relay their perspective right.

i’m so excited that we’re into fall - it’s my favorite season of the year. i hope you all enjoy your pumpkin pie and your plaid scarves and have a truly wonderful day. God bless each and every one of you!

be a hero,
anna