Insight is defined as the faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth. As a writer I must constantly look beyond outward appearances to seek the truth, the inside story. Like the rings of a tree, the story is hidden. I learned this lesson recently at a dinner party.
“I have a lot of stories,” my dinner companion said leaning forward over her plate. The party around us seemed to recede and her eyes grew more intense, “Yes, I have many, many stories.” She didn’t look like a woman with “stories.” There was no indication in her smart dress and pulled together look that she had led anything but a charmed life. But there were the stories.
She told of growing up in an eastern European country and being exiled with her mother and grandmother at the age of two. Between bites of broiled salmon and cranberry salad she told a story of her mother, a pianist, spending ten years in a labor camp. And then she told the story of her separation from her own daughter who was in the United States when martial law was declared. Three years later she saw her daughter again. Time stood still as we talked.
Hidden within a tree, each ring symbolizes a year of life. Years of drought, the ring is small. Years of plenty, the ring is wider. We hold inside of us our stories, the thin rings, the thick rings. The good times, the bad times are written in our brains and in our hearts.
“I have many. many more stories,” my new friend said as she left and I knew she had spoken for us all.
May I always look beyond appearances to see the inside story.
Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
Betsy Duffey writingsisters.com
Thanks for following my blog because otherwise I might not have found yours. This post is intriguing and I’m looking forward to reading more.
Welcome, You are our first canine follower! Maybe you would like to review out book, The Dog Diaries.
Amen! Beautifully written!
God Bless You!
Lady D
Such important words for our image-conscious generation. Our inside has so much to share that we need to listen. Let’s try to listen as Our Lord listens
So few people know how to listen today. I so thankful when someone takes the time.
Beautiful imagery! Loved the writing.
Thanks, Lee
A long time favourite verse. People are fascinating aren’t they. Until we give them a chance to “open up” we seldom have any idea what’s locked inside. fascinated to re-read about Ahab this morning in a prayer meeting, one of the world’s most wicked men, but for fear of the Lord” he humbled himself and was spared. Most men wouldn’t have shown him a second chance, but God saw his heart – there’s hope for anyone.
Thanks Stephen, Thanks a good point to remember, God knows the heart and is the one to give second chances. I’m thankful for second chances. Betsy
Beautiful and true. Now we all need to listen.
True, someone told me that God gave us two ears and only one mouth. Hmmm.
“May I always look beyond appearances to see the inside story.” Beautifully stated and I couldn’t agree more. Many blessings!
Excellent post! We all do have stories, and you can’t always tell what they might be from outward appearances. Just because someone is well-to-do now doesn’t mean they weren’t once down and out. And just because someone is down and out now, doesn’t mean they weren’t once on top of the world. Several years ago I led a women’s retreat for my church and the theme was sharing our stories, because doing so will bring us closer together and help us realize we are not alone. Often the person sitting next to us has a similar story to us and could be a great blessing to share with, but if we keep our stories to ourselves, we will never know that blessing. Peace, Linda
Thanks Linda, I have been blessed by the stories of others. My friend calls it the “me too” ministry. Just when I think I am the only one who has experienced something, someone else shares and I know I’m not alone. Betsy
Beautiful post!
We each have a story. Ours may not be as dramatic as your friend’s. They may not be get such a “wow” response from listeners. But each of our stories is important, because it makes us who we are. Never under estimate the power of your story and how your life has been shaped by the circumstances you encounter.
Sometimes we can’t see the power in our own story. When we lose that sense of the importance of our story we can lose ourselves. Thanks for your comments.
Love this image: “Hidden within a tree, each ring symbolizes a year of life. Years of drought, the ring is small. Years of plenty, the ring is wider. We hold inside of us our stories, the thin rings, the thick rings. The good times, the bad times are written in our brains and in our hearts.” Beautiful.
Thanks Cristal.
Well said. This had been an eye opener to the things I think about and encounter at times when I am speaking with someone, writing or whatever the case may be. I tend to look deeper than the surface. I don’t know if a lot of people do that but I can only speak of myself and of those I have come to know. Everything isn’t superficial. Judging a book by its cover; getting passed or or judged can lead one to miss out on so many blessings. Right now, I have a really big smile on my face from reading this post. It touched me as I can relate to it. THANK YOU!! God bless you Writing Sisters for coming across my blog. Had I not seen your ” follow ” I may have missed out on a great treasure worth reading.
In Christ,
Terra
http://virtuouswoman73.wordpress.com
Living Simply In Abundance
Beautifully said. From start to finish, I loved this post. Thank you.
Thanks, Jeff.
Thank you for another beautiful post, and thanks to Linda. I was trying to think of ways our church group could get to know each other better. Before we can really love someone we have to know him or her. We should share our hearts more often.