In general, fiction stories start with a turning point, the day everything changes for the main character. The reason this works is because readers can identify with these defining moments in things that happen to them as often as every day. This week, I want to explore some of the daily defining moments I’ve witnessed in real life. Just because, well, your thoughts on the matter will interest me.
Subject number one:
Over the weekend, I took two of my kids to a movie. As the closing credits rolled and the theater emptied out, we followed the crowd toward the exit. Near the door, a woman dropped her half-full bag of popcorn on the floor. She paused, looked around, then back at the mess, and bent to pick up her bag (the easy part) leaving the corn to be scattered by those walking out behind her.
Now, maybe I was extra irritated because of the fact that my son works there, and I knew he would likely be the one stuck cleaning up that particular mess. But as I watched her leave, I couldn’t help but wonder what the woman was thinking. Or if she was thinking at all. She consciously made the decision to leave the mess for someone else, rather than scooping even some of it back into the bag and throwing it in the trash.
So. In this instance, do you think it’s true that we are the decisions we make? Or do our decisions make us who we are?
3 comments:
Hmmm...it's interesting to think about.
I think decisions make us who we are. Everybody makes mistakes or bad choices. Maybe that woman was plagued with guilt the rest of the night because it wasn't like her to do something like that. Maybe next time she'll make sure to act differently.
Or maybe she didn't give it a second thought...
That's an interesting moment. It definitely says something about her. Great things to think about.
I think the decisions we make, make us who we are. Even the mistakes. But this is so interesting to think about.
Jennifer brought up a good point. I hope the next time that happens someone would have the right mind to pick up the bucket.
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