When I was about eleven years old, my best friend invited me to her birthday party. Nancy and I had known each other since we were four (me) and two (her) years old. We grew up in the same church and spent as much of our time together as our parents would allow.
Shortly after my family moved into a large house out in the country, and just a few short weeks before her birthday party, Nancy came over for a weekend. We took a hike through the woods and while we sat on a rotting wooden bridge, our feet dangling over the small creek that ran below, I shared an idea I had for a short story. At eleven years old, I'd come to understand that I was a genius; my head was filled with brilliant ideas and I felt confident that I was smarter than most of the folks around me. I was excited as I shared my idea with Nancy because I knew she would be as impressed with my creative genius as I was.
My idea was that God had created a second world. This second world had started out exactly the same as our world, with Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. But the difference was, sin never entered this second world. The people living in this world were sin free and so had a very different destiny than many of those living in our world. As far as brilliant, creative ideas go, this one was terrible! I hadn't yet figured out that it is sin that makes a story interesting. Without conflict and wrong doing, how interesting can a story possibly be?
I was excited about Nancy's party because we always had so much fun at her house! When I told my mom about the party, she told me that she didn't think I should go because we didn't have the money to buy Nancy a birthday present. I argued with her, saying that Nancy wouldn't mind. She didn't care about presents but it was VERY important to her that I be at her party! (I believed this at the time, but I now realize that Nancy probably wouldn't have cared one way or the other if I showed up!)
My mom gave in and let me go. The party was great! Nancy's mom had planned and organized a lot of games. One game involved hiding prizes in the front room. I remember being very focused, while the other girls were laughing and leisurely looking for prizes, I was going about the business of methodically searching the room. I started in one corner and moved my way backwards until I had found the majority of the prizes, leaving only three or four for the other girls. I was sure they all were impressed with my amazing ability at finding things! Nancy's mom, on the other hand, seemed disturbed that one child was walking off with all the booty and to my shock, she went off into the kitchen and returned with more prizes for the other girls, balancing things out. Didn't seem fair to me, but, oh well.......
When the time came for Nancy to open her presents, I began to feel a bit uncomfortable. I pretended not to be too interested in what was going on. Nancy opened her gifts, one after the other, and the girls all showed signs of enthusiasm with each. When she was finished, one of the guests felt obliged to bring to everyone's attention that Marialyn hadn't given Nancy a gift.
I was mortified, but kept my cool. Thinking quickly, I said "Nancy, you remember that story I was telling you about? Well, I wrote it all out and made it into a book for you. I forgot to bring it but I'll give it to you Sunday."
When I got home, I started working on my book. But the story went nowhere! Every interesting thing I thought to write into the story line, I realized wouldn't work because it couldn't have happened in a world without sin. After only one day, I gave up. I decided Nancy wouldn't remember anything about it anyway.
The following Sunday, Nancy came up and reminded me about the book. She was genuinely eager to read my story! Thinking quickly once again, I told her that I hadn't wanted to wait until Sunday to give it to her so I had mailed it. Hadn't she gotten it yet? She told me, "no." I advised her to wait a few days, it would surely be showing up.
As the weeks went by and Nancy never received her book, she told me that her mom had told her that I probably had made the whole thing up because I felt embarrassed for not bringing a present. This infuriated me because nothing makes a liar more angry than being told she's a liar! I insisted that I had mailed the book, it must have just gotten lost in the mail. And, unfortunately, it was an original and my ONLY copy.
Something interesting happened after that. As the months and even years went by, I began to believe that I had actually written the story and mailed it to Nancy. Several years later, as I was laying in my bed, I was thinking about that story and I found myself regretting that it had gotten lost in the mail. It wasn't until I tried to remember the details of the story I had created that I remembered the whole thing had been a lie!
Can you imagine how uninteresting this story of mine would have been without the element of sin? I would have just gone to Nancy's party without a present and simply told her, "I'm sorry, but we didn't have the money to buy you a present."
B O R I N G ! ! !
Shortly after my family moved into a large house out in the country, and just a few short weeks before her birthday party, Nancy came over for a weekend. We took a hike through the woods and while we sat on a rotting wooden bridge, our feet dangling over the small creek that ran below, I shared an idea I had for a short story. At eleven years old, I'd come to understand that I was a genius; my head was filled with brilliant ideas and I felt confident that I was smarter than most of the folks around me. I was excited as I shared my idea with Nancy because I knew she would be as impressed with my creative genius as I was.
My idea was that God had created a second world. This second world had started out exactly the same as our world, with Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. But the difference was, sin never entered this second world. The people living in this world were sin free and so had a very different destiny than many of those living in our world. As far as brilliant, creative ideas go, this one was terrible! I hadn't yet figured out that it is sin that makes a story interesting. Without conflict and wrong doing, how interesting can a story possibly be?
I was excited about Nancy's party because we always had so much fun at her house! When I told my mom about the party, she told me that she didn't think I should go because we didn't have the money to buy Nancy a birthday present. I argued with her, saying that Nancy wouldn't mind. She didn't care about presents but it was VERY important to her that I be at her party! (I believed this at the time, but I now realize that Nancy probably wouldn't have cared one way or the other if I showed up!)
My mom gave in and let me go. The party was great! Nancy's mom had planned and organized a lot of games. One game involved hiding prizes in the front room. I remember being very focused, while the other girls were laughing and leisurely looking for prizes, I was going about the business of methodically searching the room. I started in one corner and moved my way backwards until I had found the majority of the prizes, leaving only three or four for the other girls. I was sure they all were impressed with my amazing ability at finding things! Nancy's mom, on the other hand, seemed disturbed that one child was walking off with all the booty and to my shock, she went off into the kitchen and returned with more prizes for the other girls, balancing things out. Didn't seem fair to me, but, oh well.......
When the time came for Nancy to open her presents, I began to feel a bit uncomfortable. I pretended not to be too interested in what was going on. Nancy opened her gifts, one after the other, and the girls all showed signs of enthusiasm with each. When she was finished, one of the guests felt obliged to bring to everyone's attention that Marialyn hadn't given Nancy a gift.
I was mortified, but kept my cool. Thinking quickly, I said "Nancy, you remember that story I was telling you about? Well, I wrote it all out and made it into a book for you. I forgot to bring it but I'll give it to you Sunday."
When I got home, I started working on my book. But the story went nowhere! Every interesting thing I thought to write into the story line, I realized wouldn't work because it couldn't have happened in a world without sin. After only one day, I gave up. I decided Nancy wouldn't remember anything about it anyway.
The following Sunday, Nancy came up and reminded me about the book. She was genuinely eager to read my story! Thinking quickly once again, I told her that I hadn't wanted to wait until Sunday to give it to her so I had mailed it. Hadn't she gotten it yet? She told me, "no." I advised her to wait a few days, it would surely be showing up.
As the weeks went by and Nancy never received her book, she told me that her mom had told her that I probably had made the whole thing up because I felt embarrassed for not bringing a present. This infuriated me because nothing makes a liar more angry than being told she's a liar! I insisted that I had mailed the book, it must have just gotten lost in the mail. And, unfortunately, it was an original and my ONLY copy.
Something interesting happened after that. As the months and even years went by, I began to believe that I had actually written the story and mailed it to Nancy. Several years later, as I was laying in my bed, I was thinking about that story and I found myself regretting that it had gotten lost in the mail. It wasn't until I tried to remember the details of the story I had created that I remembered the whole thing had been a lie!
Can you imagine how uninteresting this story of mine would have been without the element of sin? I would have just gone to Nancy's party without a present and simply told her, "I'm sorry, but we didn't have the money to buy you a present."
B O R I N G ! ! !
Great story! Great sinner! Greater yet, the ability to express that fact and enjoy it at the same time!!!
ReplyDeleteLove great stories, love sinners!!!!....including you!
you have kinder friends than siblings. I would have snatched back all of the prizes you found in the living room and sent you packing with the same things you showed up with!
ReplyDeleteWhat became of Nancy?
ReplyDeleteNancy and I remained friends through the years. She was with me on my first ever trip to Haiti and she came to spend Christmas with me when I was living in India. We've also been to New York and France together. We aren't as close as we used to be but she still calls me on my birthday and anniversary and random holidays in between. We see each other about once a year.
ReplyDeleteMarialyn,
ReplyDeleteI finally had a chance to go to your blog and read your story. Very, very interesting. I have to admit, I didn't remember much of it, although your short story did sound vaguely familiar. I do need to correct one thing-I think it was very important to me that you were at my party....gift or no gift!
I hope now that the truth has been revealed, you can go beyond middle age with a clear conscience.
Your "oldest" friend,
Nancy