If I wrote about you, what would you want me to say?  I can only write what I see or experience, completely from my own perspective.  Would you be willing to see yourself through someone else’s eyes, however it might look?  Would you be able to separate anything I said from our friendship, knowing that my intentions were good?

Are you concerned that hanging out with me might result in me writing about you?  I found out from a friend that occasionally he thinks about that.  Or maybe you like my writing enough that you would like to hear what I might say about you and our relationship.  I suppose I could take requests.

I write about my family all of the time without asking them, but I try hard not to say anything that might embarrass them or hurt their feelings.  After all, I have to live with them.  But is that honest?  Do my readers get a true impression of what our lives are really like?  Or am I just creating likable characters that give my readers warm and fuzzy feelings?

I recently attended an author’s workshop where I heard an interesting piece of advice.  Write as though nobody will read it. Well shoot, that would mean I could write anything I was thinking – freedom of speech and all that.  No filters, no concern about possibly losing friends or family over something that was said.  Am I willing to possibly lose people for the sake of  keeping my integrity in terms of my writing? I’m not interested in writing fiction – too much of our lives today revolve around fiction and as a culture we’ve run away from reality.  I want to write about what is real, about how that realness affects people and what we can do to make things better.  That can’t be all bad, unless the truth hurts someone.

Chances are, however,  if I were to write about you, I would tell you things that you either didn’t believe or see in yourself.  I would tell you about the wonderful family you’ve raised or how kind you are to everyone.  I would tell you that you have the potential to do anything you want, no matter your age or situation and to follow your dreams.  I would tell you what an inspiration or encourager you’ve been in my life and the lives of others.  It doesn’t matter how long I’ve known you, if we’re friends it’s because there’s something amazing about you and you bring something special to my life and I hope I bring something special to yours.  So what do you say?  What if I wrote about you?