Had a few thoughts this morning about why I love stories so much. Aside from the escapism, I enjoy fiction because problems are solved within the pages of the book, in a neat and tidy fashion.

If an author has done their job according to expectations, by the words "the end" grace the page, lovers will be together, crimes will have been solved (and justice dispensed accordingly) or the quest will have been gained.

The "time in between" the beginning and the resolution of the story problem, is short enough that a picture of the entire thing is easy to see.

Compare that to "real life", however, and we must wait a lifetime (or at least most of a lifetime) until we see any kind of "resolution", of the bigger "problems", we face in life. Which is just fine...after all, nobody wants to shorten things just to find out "what happened".

Because we've got, God willing, considerably more "time in between" to finally see that "resolution" of our life's story, perhaps stories serve as something of a surrogate until we leave this earth.

We're made in the image of God, and He is the master storyteller, so it makes sense that we would have some of His creative desires and skills.

Sometimes I imagine, although there is no Biblical basis for this, that before we're born, God gives us the opportunity for input on the lives we will have when we come to Earth.

And because we were with Him, we understood why it was important to choose the tough things that we face, because we knew that it would serve our creator and His plan to redeem all of mankind.

Sorry for going all philosophical on you, dear reader...I guess that's just where my mind wanted to go!

What do you think is a "not so obvious" reason why stories are so loved?

Had a few thoughts this morning about why I love stories so much. Aside from the escapism, I enjoy fiction because problems are solved within the pages of the book, in a neat and tidy fashion.

If an author has done their job according to expectations, by the words "the end" grace the page, lovers will be together, crimes will have been solved (and justice dispensed accordingly) or the quest will have been gained.

The "time in between" the beginning and the resolution of the story problem, is short enough that a picture of the entire thing is easy to see.

Compare that to "real life", however, and we must wait a lifetime (or at least most of a lifetime) until we see any kind of "resolution", of the bigger "problems", we face in life. Which is just fine...after all, nobody wants to shorten things just to find out "what happened".

Because we've got, God willing, considerably more "time in between" to finally see that "resolution" of our life's story, perhaps stories serve as something of a surrogate until we leave this earth.

We're made in the image of God, and He is the master storyteller, so it makes sense that we would have some of His creative desires and skills.

Sometimes I imagine, although there is no Biblical basis for this, that before we're born, God gives us the opportunity for input on the lives we will have when we come to Earth.

And because we were with Him, we understood why it was important to choose the tough things that we face, because we knew that it would serve our creator and His plan to redeem all of mankind.

Sorry for going all philosophical on you, dear reader...I guess that's just where my mind wanted to go!

What do you think is a "not so obvious" reason why stories are so loved?