“Authenticity is all that matters,” George asserted to an attractive woman who just bought ten of his paintings and commissioned five more where she would be the model used for the “queen of the dragons”. They would begin work immediately. George told Martha she had to go back to her own apartment to give them space, but he would call her when he got a chance.
Martha saw how the woman’s body filled her dress, how her smile hypnotized, and how those eyes, so recklessly inviting, so wicked, could easily dominate any intimidation George might later try to exert against her manipulations.
Habituated as George was to his authentic selfishness Martha knew he would never call her. Their parting, however, could have been an opportunity for Martha to shift her views and change her ways, but her lack of courage only allowed her to reinforce her humiliation by blaming George for every demon he let in as she walked back to her apartment.
Denise offers the word “shift” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories. This is a continuation of Center – Six Sentence Story. This story of the occult will conclude next week.


Nicely done, Frank.
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Thank you, Dan!
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Definitely so!!!
Pat
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Thank you, Pat!
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Interesting to consider whether authenticity is really all about selfishness. Got me thinking. Thanks!
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Thank you, Michael! Things will turn out better for Martha next week.
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Glad to hear it!
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I probably wouldn’t have thought about “authentic” if it weren’t for listening to one of Owen Strachan’s lectures on Biblical Anthropology that Jim Lee linked to recently. I might have misunderstood Strachan, but I see the search for what is authentic in oneself as a way to override service to Christ. In general, though, “authentic” should be a positive notion.
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I have been paying more attention to Owen as well.
Authentic should be positive but I do not think our current culture sees it that way.
Blessings.
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Man’s authenticity has alterior motives. Nice Frank. I love these six-sentence stories. I have written a few on my medium blog. Thanks for introducing them to me.
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Thank you, Mary! Denise introduced them to me. I am glad for a limitation that is not a word count.
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Not easy holding up the mirror to ourselves. How often and easy to allow opportunity for personal growth to slip by for fear of confronting and acknowledging the ugly and unpleasant (of our selves).
Thought provoking Six, Frank.
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Thank you, Denise!
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George telling Martha she had to return to her own apartment to give him and his new model “space” would have been horribly humiliating. Hopefully Martha learns from it and it’s the last time she gets in such a situation.
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I think she has. Next week, hopefully, things will work out well for her. Thank you, Dyanne!
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solid six, solid stuff.
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Thank you!
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His selfishness was so authentic, so much a part of him. Vices are like that as much as virtues are
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Good point: his selfishness was so much a part of him. Thank you, Larry!
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Ah, but the only way to grow is to slog through it. It’s not pleasant, but it works.
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She will grow, but there are low points along the way. Thank you, Mimi!
The guy who left his car running in your story and had to chase after it had reached a low point as well. It probably would have made a good video.
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Martha’s really got to get her own back, Frank! 🙂
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Hopefully things will turn out better for her next week. Thank you, Chris!
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What people use to mask sins these days…
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There is a lot of sin here. Hopefully some reform next week. Thank you, Jim!
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👍👍
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All that we all need, to make the most of (our) lives is perspective (other than the common one we all walk through each day with)… oh, yeah, and the strength/will/capacity to accept what we see and resist the traps of false powerlessness.
We all have, imo, access to a path that permits life to, if not change, at least be different from the repetitive cycles of the self to which we all are subject.
good Six
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It may seem hard, but we can all find those better paths. I keep looking for mine. Telling stories might be a way to help find them. Thank you, Clark!
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Well done, Frank.
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Thank you, Lisa!
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A sad six and food for thought. Hopefully both George and Martha find what they’re looking for.
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I think Martha will eventually. Thank you, Michael!
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What of Brian, though? 🤪
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Brian will come back in the final part. Thank you, Laura!
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Yeah, Martha needs to get shot of that guy
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It is good they are no longer together. Thank you!
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You write excellent SSS.
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Thank you!
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Some bad things are about to happen.
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Thank you, Mark! Yes, but hopefully things will work out for them.
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