This has been a busy August. The farm work, of course, is always busy, but I have added some personal busy-ness to the mix.
For the last few weeks, I have been going to the pool to do aquasizes three times a week, Doing Tai Chi two times a week, and going to choir practise, once a week--with another choir soon to be added, making it choir two times a week. As if that wasn't enough social activity, I am now teaching an adult writing class every Monday evening.
For the next couple of weeks, we will be concentrating on Characters. In putting my lessons together, I have gone back to my college textbooks and read the "character" sections through with less speed, and more attention to detail, than I was able to in the fast-pace courses. What I have been discovering, is that as I read, I am realizing just which personality attributes describe me. Hmmmm, I didn't think I was taking a phsycology course, but my research is proving to be a bit like that.
When developing characters for our fiction, we must know an awful lot about the different types of people to be able to write them in a realistic and believable fashion. Who would have thought that while I was reading what each personality type entailed, I would be seeing the good and bad in myself, along the journey.
As usual, God has used something I love to do to teach me what He needs me to see. He is so patient and understands my every need. Those words have taken on a different meaning, than when I first heard them. I use to think that "understands my every need" meant that He knew what I needed to physically survive. Now, I realize, that it actually means so much more than that. He understands, better than I am capable of, what I need to learn, grow, and move into a Jude that is much closer to His image than I alone am capable of becoming.
The 8 main types of characters are: main, protagonist, hero, antagonist, obstacle, logic, emotion, and sidekick. In my relationships with my siblings, and others, I can really see which parts of my personality falls in which category, depending on who I am with.
This brings me to the point. I have always thought that each of us was one personality type. Now, I am beginning to understand that we are all 8 of them, at any given moment. Each of us takes on the attributes of the types of characters, depending on the need of the moment, and of the relationship.
To explain: With one of my sisters, I take on logic, while she is more emotional--this role changes back and forth between the two of us. Sometimes, I am the emotional one and need her to be the logical one. With another, I am more emotional, while she is antagonist--No matter how I try, or what I do, this sister does everything in her power to hurt, undermine and prevent me from being completely happy. Still another sister has me in the role of sidekick to her protagonist--She is a very organized and capable person and around her I am usually the encourager and supporter for her in her choices and activities.
It has been quite a research journey. One that, I am sure, will make the characters that I develope become all that more believable.
Now, I wonder, what kind of character are you? How does your character change places when in the company of different people?
One more week of characters, then on to grammar--the boring stuff. On these lessons I will be challenged to make it all fun and fresh.
Have a great week. Know that God loves you, and so do I.
Jude
