The Art of Careful Editing...

"The stories we tell ourselves are very different from the stories we tell the world..."~ Donald Miller

I found an intriguing book yesterday that I cannot wait to read. "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" is Donald Miller's follow-up story to his memoir. It's about what happens when two producers start re-writing parts of his story for the screen. Miller begins to wonder what parts of his story would he re-write or edit, and so the basis of his second novel begins.

What an intriguing thought. There are certainly embarrassing or painful episodes we would all love to re-write, but what about some of the smaller choices and paths taken? How would you decide what stays and what needs a re-write?

How would I edit my actual life into a better story? What would I change? The possibilities are boundless. I could go all the way back to my family's choice to move to Florida when I was fourteen. My life most certainly would have been very different, but if this exercise does nothing but fill me with regrets, then it becomes a dangerous game.

However, what if the editing is looked at as an exercise in stripping down- taking stock and reconsidering what one strives for in life. Transition time has been an opportunity to re-write my own life. I have changed careers, went through a divorce, lost my job, married again, and with each change, whether planned or not, there has been an opportunity to edit my life and change its direction.

If we explore the past, look at our choices and put aside the regrets, we can find a way to get a second chance at life the first time around.