Giving Birth

I’ve had an idea for a screenplay running around in my head for almost four years now. Back in 2004, while I was in Yosemite, I wrote almost 80 pages. But I’ve scrapped it all, started over, and have written 25 pages in the past three days. It feels like I’ve been pregnant with this idea for four years, and now I’m finally going into labor. (I’m sure my wife would point out that this is, in fact, nothing at all like that, and who am I to suggest such a thing.) Strangely enough, even though this is an R-rated script, I feel that writing it is an act of obedience to God. Whether or not it ever gets sold, the act of writing it, and finishing it, is and will be a huge step for me as I continue to grow and try to follow Jesus.
The best part about this process is how I’ve been collaborating with my wife on it. After the kids go to bed, we sit down and talk through the characters and events in the story. She gives me great feedback like, “I don’t think she would do that, no matter how much of a bitch she’s supposed to be.” (I know, she totally has a foul mouth.) She’s also being a really great listener, and I find myself going on and on about random little details in the story. This process has been great for our marriage as we do something fun and creative together. I love that the script is ours, and not just mine.