Thanks, Neil

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.
--Neil Gaiman

Feeling cynical, a little world weary? The art been especially hard these last few days? Had a rough week at the office? Well here's ol' Neil to cheer you up.

Recently I wrote a new friend, saying that if being an overseas missionary was the holy grail of Christian careers, then writing fiction for the Christian publishing industry must be the booby prize. I was feeling cynical. So sad for me.

It's hard to have aspirations that others regard as half-witted. It's even harder to believe that somehow you're going to say something profound (like the emperor has no clothes) in the midst of your half-witted efforts. No one likes to have their faults exposed, and no one really loves the exposer. And it takes a whole lotta chutzpah, or something like a supernatural command to prompt truth saying. Remember the famous moment from Broadcast News where the big network producer takes Holly Hunter to task?
"It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room."
"No." Holly responds with the total conviction. "It's awful."

And it really is awful to think you're right--and still the emperor remains the emperor. It's also hilarious. I mean, if you can't laugh at your role as the half-wit (and look properly crazy in the process), you'll go insane.

So, uh...that's what I've been thinking.

Have a jolly weekend.