Broken Records: What Is Worth Recording

Writers often write what they know. Yet, how do we know if what we know is worth telling? How can we be certain that what we know is something we ought to record and share with the world?

These are complicated questions and not ones to be taken lightly. We must be careful in our truth-telling and avoid the temptation to bear false witness with slander and gossip. Regardless of genre, we need to ask ourselves, is this my story to tell?

When I consider these questions, I reflect on the authors who have been my favorites since I was a little girl. I have read their books more than once and have shared them with my children. Authors such as Laura Ingalls Wilder, Louisa May Alcott, and Charlotte Bronte fashioned their novels around their own personal experiences. Although those tales told of their characters difficult experiences and the relationships they navigated, the retellings hinted of redemption. I know not all stories end with a sense of triumph. Some are downright disappointing. Yet, we can render a story redeeming whether or not that is what happened in reality.

After all, isn't that the summation of our treasured fairytales? That somehow there is hope that we can live happily ever after in the end?