What are your feelings on “airing our laundry”? Does it make you uncomfortable if you witness this in public? Does it depend on the circumstance or the situation?
In Wednesday’s post I relayed a childhood memory from a humorous perspective.
You may remember that I couldn’t look at old “Mr. Fletcher” quite the same way once his wife started hanging their laundry out to dry. Something about the parade of eye-fetching boxer shorts and sourpuss schoolteacher Mr. Fletcher just didn’t mesh. I knew too much.
I cringed inwardly every time Mr. Fletcher had lunchroom duty. Trolling up and down the perfectly ordered rows of tables and chairs with his whistle at the ready and his plastered frown in place seemed completely contrary to his “other side.” The side that wore stripes, polka dots, and banana yellow underclothing.
As a shy seventh grader, it left me conflicted.
Doesn’t he care that Mrs. Fletcher hangs their underwear outside to dry on the clothesline? Doesn’t he realize that half the town probably knows what his favorite colors are–underneath his freshly pressed to perfection, khaki-colored dress slacks?
“Well, at least we know his wife washes and that he wears clean underwear!” a friend laughed.
That comment made me think. It was all about perspective.
Now as I write Christian fiction, I often consider perspective. Perhaps, “airing our laundry” isn’t so much about what we’re comfortable with as it is about the truth of what’s real.
As we navigate life, sharing our perspective has many considerations. And if we write, how we communicate our viewpoint within an inspirational genre should be handled in a Christ-like fashion.
Here are some things that I believe are important:
- People want to read for various reasons. To escape. To be entertained. To learn. To identify.
- Real people wear underwear. (Even colored ones!) I don’t know that it’s necessary we include that detail in our books, but the point is that it breathes life into our characters when we allow our readers to see our fictional folks as normal.
- Exposing human frailties can be humbling. It causes us to self-examine. It prompts understanding. It creates compassion.
- When broaching sensitive topics in our stories, we’re not granting license to sin; we’re delving into solutions from a biblical sense.
- If certain subject matter is beyond the scope of our comfort zone then (1) it may not be Holy Spirit driven or (2) the redemptive value of what we’re wrestling to depict possibly isn’t there. Not everyone can portray delicate issues appropriately. As writers, we’re all gifted in wonderfully unique ways. Sometimes, our individual talents might be entirely different from Susie Writer’s.
- By the same token, God often has a way of stretching our comfort zones. In “real life,” there are no cookie cutter human beings. The stories we write shouldn’t have them either. If we feel the Lord has impressed it upon us to address specific issues, then of course, we should!
- Airing our laundry is in the eye of the Beholder. If our laundry’s clean–no worries! If it’s dirty…wash it, press it, address it, and put it away. That’s God’s method.
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Can you think of an example in a movie or book where you felt the handling of the characters’ laundry was ineffective? (No need to give the title. Just share a bit of the circumstance.)
Happy Friday!
Photo Credit: Mantas Ruzveltas/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Comments 8
Ok first of all, I kept clicking and couldn’t leave a comment and then I realized I was clicking on the “0 comments” at the top. LOL Oy! The day’s gonna be like that,huh?
Next, I read a book once, a Christian novel, that could be considered “edgy”. Uh, yeah it was, but I thought a lot of what the author wrote and the scenes that had to do with adultery were uncalled for. I’ve read books with adultery before and while I get the picture, I don’t need some of the descriptive imagery. I think that book lost its effect. Granted, it wasn’t glorifying the situation, I never thought that for a second, still…a tad raunchy for my taste and I read just about anything. “Just About” being key words. Ha!
A very great post, today!
Author
Jess, I would definitely agree that I’ve read a few books that made me wonder, “What were they thinking?”
When the “message” gets lost in translation because of all the additional graphic details, we (as readers) lose focus of the original intent. As writers, I believe we can be “real” without the provocative imagery.
Good points!
Too funny! It’s true–we can’t always seperate “intimate knowledge” with reality. You have a great break-down of how we as writers need to consider what we’re writing. Have a great weekend!
Author
Jill, I always try to be conscientious about what I write. Like everything, there’s a time to refrain and a time to share. The trick in striking this sometimes delicate middle ground is remaining confident in who’s ultimately steering our ship.
Happy Weekend to you, as well!
I really like your list, Cindy. And I’ll admit you approached it differently than I expected. I like how you said that we’re all called to handle different “laundry”, and it all needs to be weighed against what God wants us to share. Very wise words.
Author
Sarah, I’m so thankful that God gives us all unique abilities, aren’t you?
You’re such a blessing!
We do have to be conscientious about what we write and how we write it. I used to write on the “edgy” side many years ago – then God stepped in…and put something on my heart. In a nutshell, I had to change my writing, and what I was writing. I obeyed.
Great post, Cynthia!
Author
Loree, isn’t it wonderful when God gives us a new vision–one that’s more compatible with the one He has for us?!
Can’t wait to see what’s ahead for you!