Just Desserts Anyone?

Photo Credit: Vita Arina/Creative Commons

As I create fictional characters, I decide when they’ll dine on their “just desserts.”

Sometimes, it’s hard to let Polly Perfect make an imperfect choice, and harder still, to let the poor girl suffer from that choice.

Isn’t that how it is in real life though?

We realize poor choices can often lead to bad outcomes, but we still mess up. And sometimes, we don’t learn our lesson the first time around. It may take several blunders and a lot of heartache before we “get it.”

Because God gives His children “free will,” we have a buffet of options, but we also earn the consequences that result from our choices. Our Heavenly Father allows us to learn from our decisions–good and bad–because He loves us.

Since I want my characters to be authentic, I try to use situations that we can relate to:

“I didn’t realize that I was speeding, officer.”

“It was just a little fib. A little fib never hurt anyone.”

“So, I broke a rule. Aren’t rules made to be broken?”

These might seem like minor infractions, and usually, my characters’ foibles are much more involved, but you get the drift. (And the Bible tells us when we know what is right and sin anyway, our penalties are often more severe. As Christians, we’re held to a higher standard.)

I don’t write about perfect people. That would be boring. 

Instead, I flesh out characters with some great character traits, but realistic personal flaws. They may struggle with jealousy, boastfulness, or unresolved anger. And of course, they battle outside forces, too. Things like: illness or death of a loved one, career decisions, dating issues, and moral dilemmas. (Generally, I prefer to weave humor into my stories along with the drama, while keeping things “real.”)

In the book series I’m creating, the main characters grow and develop through good times and bad. I allow them to taste the sweet along with the bitter, as God sometimes does, while doling out our “just desserts.” 

As my characters savor that second helping of apple pie, they don’t always think about the indigestion that may follow later. The after-effects of sin are the same. Sometimes, justice is swift and stinging, while at other times, their comeuppance might linger a little longer and be more far-reaching.

I like to show larger-than-life folks humbled in even bigger ways. 

And in the small, fictional town where my characters live, there will be more than enough pie to go around. 

And plenty of crow to eat besides.

******

What’s a lesson you’ve learned the hard way?

Photo Credit: Vita Arina/Creative Commons

Blessings Always,