Imagine That
by Kym on September 5, 2008
Conversation with Emma:
Emma: Mommy? My bum is magic!
Me: You can do magic with your bum?
Emma: Yup! My bum is magic and it makes stuff happen!
Me: What can you do with your magic bum?
Emma: It makes people walk! And it makes everyone, that everyone walks everywhere!
Me: Wow. That’s a pretty amazing bum.
Emma: ~singing an impromptu song~ I am amaaaaazing. And I can maaaake my bum maaaake you waaaalk. And I am maaaaagic with my maaaagic buuuum!
What’s sad is that I can so see someone making a kids television show based on this concept.
What’s happy-making is realizing how uninhibited my daughter’s imagination is. She isn’t bothered by whether something seems appropriate, or possible, or even whether or not it makes sense. She finds delight in the absurd and I love the way she lights up when she shares her imaginings.
I remember being just a couple years older than her, and losing myself in wonderings spurred on by the simplest of catalysts. A sight out the car window, a scent on the wind, the feel of grass blades between my fingers. Even garbage by the side of the road, or the way the moss grew on the tree trunks in the seaside forest near my childhood home. I would invent wild stories in my head to delight myself with, and would giggle and smile as they took shape.
I never shared them though. My siblings were unfailingly practical and were convinced from a young age that their older sister had undiagnosed mental issues. I was too socially awkward to form close friendships so my stories stayed where they were created. In my head.
I’m thirty years old now, and you would think the time for such imaginings had past, but quite the opposite is true. I feel like a long dormant part of myself is wakening. Oh the beauty and wonder, the variety and vividness of the world around me. I find wee little glimmers of stories shining in my head, and I want to breathe life into them. After years of supressing something that brings me joy I feel I hardly deserve this sudden awakening, but I’m embracing it anyway.
I’m imagining. I’m creating. I’m living. And it feels really, really good.
What have you forgotten that makes you feel good?
20 comments
don’t you just love how our kids reawaken this dormant sense of wonder?
and i had to smile at “happy-making.” i can tell you’re under the influence of westerfeld, kim-la. :)
by Nic on September 5, 2008 at 5:49 pm. #
Lexi used to have a friend that would tattle on her for being a liar.
Because she thought there really were fairies or other creatures.
I’d try to explain, to this pragmatic child, the difference between lying and having an imagination to no avail.
Just like when I was little…
So, you dream on ladies. Your hearts will be the fuller for it
by Lisa Milton on September 5, 2008 at 7:54 pm. #
Imagine away! It’s a fun thing to remember those stories and those worlds.
Going to have to think about the supressed stuff from childhood. Probably my music ambition, actually.
Hmmm.
by Eowyn on September 5, 2008 at 7:58 pm. #
One thing I love about blogging is that it reminded me how much I love to express myself with words.
I love this post. So well said. You’re the best :)
by Heather of the EO on September 5, 2008 at 8:05 pm. #
I am happy for you. And your daughters.
To answer your question. More than ever NO..
by Jan on September 5, 2008 at 8:37 pm. #
so glad you are finding it again. I have lots to much of my ability to imagine. I do hope it comes back for me as well. :)
by Corey~living and loving on September 5, 2008 at 8:47 pm. #
Emma cracks me up! What a funny, fun girl.
by Beth on September 5, 2008 at 8:51 pm. #
isn’t it wonderful that having children opens your eyes to that long forgotten world of wonder and make believe? thanks for this sweet post. speaking of inappropriate..my kids broke out in conversation during breakfast about different sizes of poop. bird sized poop versus dog sized poop. i had to politely tell them to refrain from discussing poop and gesturing with their hands the size of the various poop. ava giggled because she knew it was probably not the thing to talk about at the breakfast table but max was undaunted and continued throughout the day.
by aubrey on September 5, 2008 at 9:04 pm. #
I haven’t gotten lost in my imagination for a while. I think I’ll try again this weekend.
by Ryan on September 5, 2008 at 9:13 pm. #
I am going to try to convince myself that my bum is magic, for starters!
One childhood pastime I’d forgotten I loved was hiking. I loved the sense of adventure, discovery, and being completely surrounded by beauty. I’ve rediscovered this dormant joy in my 30s and it’s a source of great rejuvenation, exhilaration, and peace.
I also have to ditto heather of the EO. Blogging has reminded me how much I love to write!
by charrette on September 5, 2008 at 10:51 pm. #
“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”
“There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you’ll be free if you truly wish to be.”
“If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it. Anything you want to, do it. Want to change the world? There’s nothing to it.”
Alright, I’ll stop quoting Willy Wonka now…
Good for you, Kim. Live and dream. And make your dreams live!!
by Guinhyvar on September 5, 2008 at 11:09 pm. #
Ah, the magic of bums! Who knew that my movements were being controlled by a wee bum far to the north of me? (I wish I could’ve been there so I could’ve quizzed her more on the magical properties of her bum.)
Something that I have forgotten that makes me feel good? I’ve forgotten just about everything I learned from Calculus class. That makes me happy.
by wynne on September 5, 2008 at 11:31 pm. #
It’s amazing all the things that our kids awaken in us! Dream away friend!
by Melissa on September 5, 2008 at 11:32 pm. #
Oh, and Kim?
“…moss grew on the tree trunks in the seaside forest near my childhood home…”
WHA–? That’s SO not fair. Did you grow up in fairyland or something? And WHY didn’t you invite me? I’d give up chocolate entirely for a seaside forest with moss.
by wynne on September 5, 2008 at 11:33 pm. #
I’m with Charette. I want a magic bum. Because I have so much bum, if it were magical, I would totally rule the world.
Forgotten favorite things: when I was little, we had a clover patch just outside the back door. It was lush, so that’s where the fairies lived. And also Batman. I dunno why. He just liked it there.
by Melanie J on September 6, 2008 at 12:51 am. #
I remember sticking a life savor on my forehead (it had obviously been sucked on) and standing out at our barn in a windstorm (I was supposed to be feeding the cows) and imagining the life savor was magic and helped me control the wind.
I think there was some sort of singing involved.
I think we find lost bits of childhood through our kids. I know watching mine has brought back many lost memories and feelings from my childhood. It’s kind of like rediscovering yourself, ya know?
by Jen on September 6, 2008 at 2:48 am. #
Well, you and I sound just alike. I always had nutty little stories in my head and nutty little ideas. I’m still a little spooked of mirrors. I was certain as a kid that they were windows through which someone was always watching me. Oh and I also made up an entire language, which I actually still remember.
At least I don’t talk to myself in that language anymore. :)
by Summer on September 6, 2008 at 2:06 pm. #
Hee hee hee hee hee, oh I loved that. I have a magic bum too, ha ha. Emma and Miss M soooo have to meet one day. And I was just like you as a kid. I had a world inside my head that got me through so much stuff. I’m glad our kids have that too. :D
by Jo Beaufoix on September 8, 2008 at 9:12 pm. #
i forget everything, and that is why every day is a little magic discovery to me.
macaroni? frickin awesome! why haven’t i had that beFORE?!?!
etc.
by holly on September 8, 2008 at 11:16 pm. #
A magic bum … I have always wanted to be magical :) !! So cute and creative!
by An Ordinary Mom on September 9, 2008 at 4:47 am. #