I toured a vineyard in Italy this summer. There, under the Tuscan sun, amid row after row of grapevines unfurling toward the horizon, I expected to learn about the art, science, and craft of winemaking. What I didn’t anticipate was that the experience would offer me valuable insights into my own vocation and who I am as a person uniquely created by God.
A few years after the vineyard had been established, owner Olimpia Roberti hired a world-famous consultant, who suggested how to improve the flavor of her red wines. But when she tasted the supposed new and improved vintage, Olimpia couldn’t tell the difference between her wine and that of the other producers in the area.
“They all tasted the same,” she told our tour group, as we stood facing dozens of oak barrels in the fermentation room. “Nothing distinguished our wine from the all the others.”
The consultant’s goal was for Olimpia’s vineyard to produce wines that would appeal to the mass market. It makes sense, especially from a business perspective: the wider the appeal, the more bottles sold, the more successful the vineyard.
But Olimpia refused to sacrifice the personality of her wine. She fired the world-renowned consultant and reverted, with a few new tweaks, to her original formula.
“I wanted to keep our wines’ personality,” she explained. “I decided I was willing to sell fewer bottles in order to maintain the unique character of my wine.”
Too often, I compare myself with other writers, particularly those who have more readers and sell more books than I do. Sometimes when I measure another writer’s accomplishments and success against mine, I’m tempted to alter my own writing style and voice to be more like theirs, in the hope that I might attract more readers. I wonder if perhaps I were funnier like him, or more encouraging like her, or more controversial or more contemplative, I might appeal to a broader audience.
In short, I’m tempted to sacrifice what makes my writing my own in order to attract more readers and sell more books.
I know I’m not alone in this struggle. Think about the mild-mannered salesman who adopts an aggressive negotiation style in the hopes of landing bigger contracts.
Or the church that revamps its worship service to try to attract a larger membership.
Or the contemplative teenager who pretends she’s gregarious and extroverted to appeal to a particularly popular group of peers.
We sell out. We sacrifice what makes us special; we abandon our true, authentic selves, the uniquely beautiful people God created us to be. We try to become like others, especially those we consider more successful than we are, in order to broaden our influence and appeal.
But in doing so, we don’t honor who God created us to be.
After our tour of the vineyard, I sat at a long table in the tasting room and lifted a glass of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to my lips. As I sipped the smooth, subtle wine, I thought about what Olimpia had said and how relevant her words were to my own career and calling and even to who I am as a person.
The fact is, Olimpia Roberti may not become the most successful vintner Italy has ever seen. Her vineyard might not sell the most bottles or earn the highest sales. But her wine, with its own uniquely beautiful taste, will be hers, and it will attract the people who appreciate and enjoy it.
good lesson and wonderful image. I too play the comparison game too often, especially with other writers. Been thinking about pruning a lot lately as I feel God’s shears close by. So glad you are healing missed your writing.
I love the words in the Bible about pruning — I come back to those a lot. Thanks for your comment, Jean, and for your kind words.
Michelle, I’m starting to read blogs again, and I surely missed *yours*! I’m so glad you’re back, slingless, but not voiceless. This post reminds me so much of my aunt, my mother’s sister. She was beautiful and gifted, if what some might call eccentric. She lived life on her terms and her favorite quotation was Shakespeare’s “To thine one self be true.” Some consider that selfish, but it isn’t. If we are not true to how God made us, not only do we dishonor Him, but we can’t serve others in the best way–in the way He made us to. This aunt especially encouraged all of us to pursue developing and using our unique gifts. She had an incredible influence on me, particularly encouraging me to sing and to write. I have a feeling there were people in your life who especially encouraged you in your writing gift and passion. You do have a unique voice, one that I love, and I’m glad you are refusing to let it be squelched. I will say that I see various tonalities within your voice. Sometimes you write lyrically, sometimes more informatively, and sometimes mischievously, even edgily. Being you can take many delightful twists and turns. No one is monolithic. Vive variety. But through the various genres in which you write, I hear marvelous Michelle loud and strong. So to you, my friend, I lift my glass of virtual vino and cheer you on–just as you are!!!
Love
Lynn
I absolutely love you interpretation of that Shakespeare quote, and I think you are spot-on, Lynn. Thanks for stopping by today, as always, for your insightful words. I’ll drop you an email soon. xo
I will be writing to you, too, soon. Finally…. free to answer that other email. Love you, and yes, weird about the blog. Just so happy WP is leaving me alone. 🙂 I just wanted you to know in case it helped in some way. Also, it’s really bizarre, but some WP blogs I had subscribed to, I can no longer receive. The bloggers and I have tried *everything* we know to do. It’s frustrating. 🙁
Michelle, this is a totally random thought that just came to me, having nothing to do w/ your post. But for what it is worth on the website’s technical side, I used to have tremendous difficulty in posting here. I’d get so far, and then the website would knock me out. So whatever you changed, it works great! 🙂 I didn’t know if you needed to know that, but there it is!
L.
Oh wow, that’s really odd, Lynn. I actually didn’t change a thing. But maybe WordPress updated automatically and a glitch was worked out? Who knows – glad it’s working much better!
So glad you are back, Michelle!
And yes, like you, I’d love to sell more books and have a larger audience. But I can’t change who I am or how I write – God has wired me for what I can do, and I want to do it for His glory.
I hope everyone reading this will realize that it’s always best to be who God created us to be.
Blessings!
Amen, sister – and thanks for always being such an encourager, Martha! That is one of your special God-given gifts for sure!
I live in wine country and have learned a lot in the last few years. One thing is that the weather greatly affects the taste of the grapes and, therefore, the wine–you can taste the drought or too much rain or not enough chill hours or too many. It makes me think of our lives, how each year defines us. I started writing TJOP in 2014 and with that year’s weather, there’s no way I could have produced a good crop. 2015 was much more favorable, for both wine and writing.
Yes, yes, Megan – Olimpia talked about exactly that too! And the fact that sometimes, even with crazy weather and unexpected conditions, the wine STILL turns out great – she called those years “a miracle” –and I could relate to that metaphor for the writing life, too.
Michelle:
You proved that you could be true to your convictions when you did a gay-friendly post, lost many subscribers, but then gained many more. Stick with what you think is right and don’t be afraid to express it. In Canada, Arisa Cox of Big Brother Canada TV show – was originally encouraged to adapt her black hair for performing on TV shows. She refused to change her hair style – a large afro – and it has become her signature look. On the other extreme I know of someone who went to a for profit seniors home and accepted a beauty makeover as part of accepting the contract for the job. When you show you will bend over backward for others, it is a bad sign for the future.
I love this image and won’t soon forget it.
Michelle, I so relate to this as a writer….my challenge is reading so many books and finding phrases that resonate….and focusing on them. I’ve told myself over and over again,”I’m not a writer like ___________. I just don’t have any original thoughts worth sharing.”
Reading this (along with John B’s urging) has made me pause and consider listening and paying attention to what I think and write–journal or other wise.
Michelle, Welcome back, and what a refreshing post. Thanks for the reminder not to sell ourselves short by trying to be an imitation of an original. An imitation is never as successful as an original but we often forget that.
Missed you and am glad you are healing and back to writing. I needed to hear this for I often am overly critical of me.
I would like to add that my pastor, Wendy Berthelsen, is president and co-founder of http://callinc.org/. At its inception which coincided with my retirement, she asked me to attend one of her first seminars. It was eye-opening and has been very helpful in knowing what I am called to do.
Now in this time, many wine companies are work in the wine field and they get more hard work for better taste. Italy grapes wine is the best wine in the world and according to my information, Italy is the first people who introduced the wine. I should tour this place for tasting wine.
You proved that you could be true to your convictions when you did a gay-friendly post, lost many subscribers, but then gained many more. Stick with what you think is right and don’t be afraid to express it. In Canada, Arisa Cox of Big Brother Canada TV show – was originally encouraged to adapt her black hair for performing on TV shows. She refused to change her hair style – a large afro – and it has become her signature look. On the other extreme I know of someone who went to a for profit seniors home and accepted a beauty makeover as part of accepting the contract for the job. When you show you will bend over backward for others, it is a bad sign for the future.
Thank you Raia. Although I have heard of Hummingbird Cake, I don’t think I ever tasted it. And of course, now I am on the gluten-free journey, and this cake looks so tempting. Glad I discovered your blog.allon4