An active imagination

When I was a kid (and teen), I would spend hours in my room, creating an amazing world of fun, romance and adventure in my imagination.  During the spring months, before it got too hot and miserable to play outside, I would jump on the trampoline, all the while, imagining myself as a character in my favorite TV shows or movies.  I didn’t replace any current character, I was a new one, and so brought new adventures. 

One of my favorite books, ever.

One example is for a summer, I was rather obsessed with the movie The NeverEnding Story.  I made myself a new character.  I was Krista (an actual character from the book, but never in the movie.)  I was friends with Bastian and Atreyu.  The three of us went on many adventures.  We had quests to hunt for important stolen artifacts, rescue some poor Fantasian from an evil captor, or deliver a special gift to the Child-Like Empress.  The beams of wood that lined the flower garden in our front yard became narrow trees that crossed a canyon over a raging river.  The two trees on the side of our house became a forest with creatures fair and foul.  Bastian, Atreyu and I helped each other, ran together, and laughed together.  It was a great time.

I still have an active imagination.  It helps me to write stories and tell new ones to the kids.  You should have heart the story I told the three youngest kids the other night.  It was a beauty.

Off on an adventure through Fantasia!

My children are so different from me, though.  My oldest daughter is easily bored.  She wants to be entertained.  Thankfully she isn’t a TV-watcher or a computer game player.  The other day, she was quite bored.  Nothing I had suggested interested her.  I finally told her to go outside in our huge, wonderful backyard and play.  The day was warm and sunny.  No coat was needed to be outside. 

Not our yard, but I like the
idea that this chair
transported its owner to
this forest.

“What do I do outside?”  she asked me.  PLAY!  Create a world, go have an adventure.  She looked outside and said all I see is a chair.  True.  We have a chair outside in the yard.  I looked out at the chair.  It’s not just a chair, you know.  It’s a magical chair, left here on accident by some elves.  If you sit in it, you will be transported to another world.  She looked at me dubiously.  OK, how about this, you pretend to be Cinderella.  I will pretend to be your wicked step-mother.  You can sweep the floors, wash the floors, fold all the laundry and clean your room.  Daughter quickly went outside and played for a long, long time.