Into the Fire

Shutters close off a view. They serve the same purpose as curtains or window shades. They conceal or protect or both.

How much of yourself do you shutter? On the web some people reveal all kinds of things they probably shouldn't. One thing is certain: the longer you write, whether it's on the web, constructing novels, posts, essays, and/or comments on others' posts, articles, Facebook, or wherever, you will show people more of yourself. If your words are guarded because you choose to reveal very little of yourself, it's sometimes surprising how much is still exposed.

Life is unshuttered if you know what I mean. You can close yourself off to a lot of it, but it doesn't stop happening as a result. The older you get the more you realize how this existence here on earth is not "life" in its natural sense. It's a form of death. And that death comes rapidly for some and slowly for others. Those of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ still leave this earth via physical death. Our transformation to real life occurs through the Spirit of God and transports us to our Creator post death.

Some things about ourselves we cannot hide. I'm a passionate person. I feel deeply, react strongly, and invest wholeheartedly or not at all. And I don't hate adverbs. Seriously, though, I was born with the "prophet" mentality. That can mean on some days I'm Elijah on his worst day, Jeremiah in his lametations, or Malachi in his consternation. If I feel anything, it isn't lightly. Although I have a decent sense of humor and love to laugh, I'm a serious person. I'm fiercely loyal, a good listener, and if you're my friend, I don't just like you, I love you. If you come against those I love, Look Out.

As a writer, I give a picture that is somewhat unshuttered. Not totally. The partial "unshuttering" is not to conceal life but to protect readers from a portion of it. To avoid the all out brutality, vulgarity, and instead hint at it. To give the suggestion of it without a graphic "high-definition" account. If the all-out graphics are required to depict the honesty of a scene, I can do it. So far, this hasn't been a necessity. Implications have worked effectively. However, I haven't written horror or thrillers. And you won't find me writing erotica.

How do you live? How do you write? Shuttered or unshuttered?

Father, you know my past. You've heard my repentance. You love me anyway. I'm desperate for you, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

*picture from http://www.theshutterstore.com/Gallery/