Monday, November 14, 2011

"Speculate This!"

Before this year, I'd never heard the term "Speculative Fiction" (or SF). At a writer's conference, someone briefly explained to the that it was "sci-fi and fantasy".

"Cool." I thought. I was raised in a house of Star Wars fans and always loved a story with a good dragon.

On Wikipedia SF is defined as "an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, Utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction and alternate history in literature as well as related static, motion and virtual arts."

"Really cool!" I thought.

It's always fun to discover the name of the "umbrella term" for the thing you spent most of your life geeking out over. (Also saying "I enjoy Speculative Fiction" doesn't sound quite as hopelessly dorky as "I like science fiction and fantasy".)

I've always loved stories that take time to ask "what if". Journeys that take us outside our normal little world and a little bit outside ourselves.

And we all need that. We need to get away from our world of work, bills and groceries. Regardless of what we really believe, I think everyone wants to believe in a bigger world than the one we see in our daily lives. We'd all like to live in a world where the "what ifs" were realities.

I don't think it's a coincidence that everyone seems to be yearning for something more. We all need a little more wonder in our lives. 

I believe that there is more. I believe that the Universe is vast with wonder and possibilities; that the God who made it is infinitely more complex and wonderful. So much so that His personality is bursting forth from the seams of our world, using stories, songs, poetry, food, laughter, nature,and everything else in an attempt to get our attention off of ourselves and make us wonder what else is out there. 

Regardless of where you are at, God has something amazing that He'd like to show you. I can't tell you what that next thing is, but I can share what He has shown me; hopefully that will point you to what He wants to do next.

So I challenge you (and myself) to do that. Wonder. Speculate.

I dare you to see what else is out there.



No comments:

Post a Comment