Changing The Story

Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

—Psalm 107:2–3

When I was growing up, I was smart and I was overweight. I was the unattractive person in an attractive family, but my mind was quick—it was easy for me to remember things, and it was easy for me to be funny. So that’s what I became—everyone’s chubby, funny friend. I was easy to be around, agreeable, capable. I knew how to make other people feel comfortable, how to draw them out, how to tell self-deprecating stories about myself.

What that story really says is, Just be friendly and pleasant. Make a joke. Don’t worry about really achieving anything, or doing anything hard, or being great in any way. You are a sidekick, a wing-man, a supporting character in someone else’s story. You are a punch line.

That old story isn’t helping me anymore, so I’m writing a new story. I work hard, and I’ve developed my skills as a writer and speaker. I might have more to contribute than I thought, and being funny and pleasant might not be the highest things to aspire to any longer.

Even as I write these words, I can feel myself sitting taller, squaring my shoulders, growing up.

I’m changing the story.