Writing is like photography. Given a frame, you can omit anything if it’s outside the frame. The background can be cropped out, the foreground can be highlighted. Essentially, you reveal what you want to reveal.
I have a frame in writing. My frame includes the pretty and excludes the ugly. My frame highlights the good and ignores the bad. My frame crops out secrets battles and highlights successes. Internet, if we’re truly honest with each other, we all have frames in life.
Yesterday I was speaking to my sister (who ironically is a photographer) and listed a host of things I’m battling. Some serious, some hilarious. At the end of the conversation, she encouraged me to be real. Hello, this is what I preach, right? Why don’t you just be you, she encouraged. It’s not a novel concept, but it’s frightening.
I don’t like the Me who is outside the frame. I like cropping out the secret food binges I’ve struggled with childhood. I like highlighting speaking events that I love, but hide the feeling of failure as I walk away from the podium. I like saying I live in Los Angeles, but will never discuss the financial toll this comes with. Why? Because being on the inside of the frame is clean, neat, and perfect.
But life is not lived in a frame. I’m not clean, neat, and perfect. I’m jacked up, messed up, and addicted to food. But I’m Me. And I will continue to believe the facade if don’t write like I live. So this is me. Stripped, bare, and honest.
Pull down the borders and share what’s outside the frame. At least you can comment in anonymity! Now the world knows that Oprah and I struggle with diets?!
What do you struggle with?
Photo credit: Jasmine Star who wrote a blog and posted this picture of us when we were twelve. I’m wear stripes which obviously adds 40 pounds. Obviously.
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