Focus Off the Fiction
By Jacob Isom
| December 2004
It's all a game of judgment. We are
judgmental people who want things to be exactly how we'd prefer them to be.
Our personal preference isn't going to happen when it comes to Adventures in
Odyssey. The writers have a boatload of listeners to think about, and that
starts with which kinds of episodes they produce. From outlining to writing
to production, it takes a whole lot of effort to get AIO on the air.
Since I have been away at college, I have
been forced to re-examine my ties to certain things. My whole lifestyle has
changed at the moment. One thing that I have learned is that the world goes
on without me. That world, including my world, moves forward. I noticed that
the world my family lives in keeps changing and growing. Pop culture
continues to pull us forward. And one of the major things I noticed is that
the world of Adventures in Odyssey continues forward without me. I've been
left back at first base while everyone else has moved on to second.
Odyssey is an entirely different world within
our world. Characters are developed, stories are finished, and the writing
team goes through much patience to put AIO to the airwaves. What does this
say about us? We are another world eavesdropping on their world. We are
curiously sticking our noses into the lives of Mr. Whittaker, Connie,
Eugene, Bernard, and many others. They are fiction. We are real. The
production team has done such a superb job at creating a world with which we
can relate that they have to keep that world content. Yet, it is very hard
for them to do so. And in successfully creating a believable world we can
enjoy, we have almost forgotten that Odyssey is only a fictional town. Much
dedication is involved in being a fan of Adventures in Odyssey.
As new episodes of the program air, fans all
over the world tune in to hear about their favorite characters. As they do
(or should I say we?), they expect things to stay settled with the program.
As listeners become attached to the radio drama, they want even more for
things to go as they would like them to go. I remember when the Odyssey
Scoop was updated on a regular basis up through August 2004, my world was so
attached to the world of Odyssey that I had to write reviews, articles, and
daily updates to explain my viewpoints. I became so involved that a huge
website about AIO was on the web and became very popular. I don't regret any
of it, thank goodness, but now that I've taken a step back I notice that my
step back is becoming even more steps behind. Odyssey moves on without me.
And I noticed something very peculiar.
Let's look at the actions of two people, for
instance. Person A and Person B are walking at a steady pace. Person A
realizes he has to slow down, so he takes one step back. At the same time,
Person B takes one step forward. In the process, Person A and Person B have
both been separated by two steps. And as time goes on (assuming Person A and
Person B continue on in their totally opposite directions), both persons
will become even more distant. That's how I'm seeing things. I am Person A.
Adventures in Odyssey is Person B. Considering this, does that make a
difference?
No. It makes no difference whatsoever. I am a
huge fan of AIO. I admit and have admitted before that I own all the audio
albums, books, and DVD's. I wouldn't have devoted much of my time creating
an online, virtual Odyssey getaway if I hadn't been such a big fan. Even so,
my step back has changed my thinking. My grip on AIO has loosened and that
has made no difference. I used to be so intertwined with my favorite
characters that I became angry when things didn't go my way. Now when I hear
an episode, I shrug my shoulders and think to myself, "Oh well."
And you know what? As the newer episodes
become older, they become classics anyway. At the time we think they are
stupid episodes, but when we listen chronologically to the series, the older
new episodes become a part of the rest of the series. "Well, now I'll be!"
For example, we all had problems when Friends, Family & Countrymen was the
new craze. We even had problems with the split episode era. However, as we
step back and take a listen, each event in Odyssey becomes less of a
question and becomes a statement, a sentence with a period at the end.
Now, will you allow me to be blunt? This is a
judgmental situation. The fans [me, myself] have listened to the audio
series and criticized how things have progressed. Knowing this, why have we
become so tangled with the world of Christian fiction and less tangled with
the reality of our world? Why do we pose questions and concerns for a
fictional world and place little care on the actions of our daily living?
Why do we concern ourselves with less important things and forget to concern
ourselves with our relationship with family, community, and most
importantly, God?
As we all know, the suggestions from Odyssey
fans are vital to the shaping of Adventures in Odyssey. But may I merely
suggest to all of us that maybe we should all take a step back and allow the
series to take shape while we focus on the reality, our lives? Our goal
should be to be a living sacrifice for the Lord, not a bunch of judgmental
Odyssey fans. We should be more concerned with the spread of the Gospel, not
the spread of accusations.
As I conclude, think about it. Odyssey takes
shape by the fans, especially that of the online community. AIO will
continue, the characters will continue to develop, and the new episodes will
fall into the series. They will become classics. Let's focus on more
important things. Let's take a step back and follow behind. Let's still
enjoy the series and tone down our judgments at the same time. Let's concern
ourselves with what God wants, not necessarily with what we want. Focus on
the Family strives to help us focus on the family, so let's focus off the
fiction.
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