I created this image in Canva after deciding to try my hand at competing in their fairy tale themed, #CanvaDesignChallenge. It seemed appropriate since I’ve been binge reading remixed fairy tales.

This led me to consider what makes a good story? And why don’t we writers write more than an epilogue showing the happily-ever-after?

The first word that came to my mind was predictability. This sounds counterintuitive considering we also love suspense and exhilaration. But we want the princess to fall in love, we want the knight to slay the dragon, we want love’s first kiss to break the curse. As long as we know there will be a happy ending we can face the fear that plagues us in the dungeons or the dragon’s lair. We can hold onto our hope because we know how the story will end.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This example in scripture tells us how Jesus, knowing his happily-ever-after, was able to face the cross. We can therefore face whatever life throws at us having this “blessed assurance” that the ending will be the one we hope for, the one we predict.

In one of my writing courses, I was taught that writing about the trials in my own life gives hope to those going through a similar situation. If I can do it, you can do it, is a concise way of putting it. We want to know we will make it through.

But, in wanting predictability, we don’t want tedium. Maybe this is why we don’t write past the happily-ever-after. We’ve reached our resolve and can breathe a sigh of relief.

I’ve heard people speculate on life in eternity, saying things like—I don’t want to be sitting around on a cloud, playing a harp forever—because that is the only picture they can imagine. But I don’t think eternity equates with tedium. Besides the “joy that was set before him,” let’s look at another scripture:

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We can’t even imagine heaven. And we can imagine some pretty amazing things. Just look at the advances in the movie industry.

I am thankful for my imagination and for writers who write stories from their’s. I’m thankful for the inspiration and encouragement to hold onto hope through trials and the knowledge that my own story will conclude with the best happily-ever-after ever!

Grace & Peace,

Sandy