Sep
10
2019
Imagination
Posted in Daily Living 2 Comments
The bus passed me on my walk.
The bus driver gave a friendly toot on the horn as he passed.
I actually see quite a few buses in the morning.
Even in our small neighborhood of twenty-four houses, four different buses come through.
I like seeing the children at the bus stops.
High school, middle school, sixth grade center, and elementary school leave at different times.
It was the boys at the sixth grade center bus stop that made me smile.
Watching them as I passed by made my morning.
If you have been to my house (or have read a Whisper or two) you know about our walnut tree.
It sits on our front lawn.
It is the tree on which a swing is hung that my husband made for our youngest daughter.
Though it is beautiful, it is a nuisance.
The walnut tree drops leaves, long sticks, and walnuts galore.
You can actually hear the walnuts dropping on the driveway.
The squirrels have a veritable feast.
They leave the remnants of their feast on my lawn and driveway.
The squirrels break open the soft shell to get to the walnut inside.
The soft shells are left behind.
If you step on them, your shoe will be stained a lovely walnut color.
Walnut stain and carpets do not mix.
As I walk each morning, I kick the walnuts into the woods.
I feel like a soccer player as I kick them with the side of my sneaker.
It is my routine on these almost fall mornings.
The walnuts that fall after I have cleared them with my kicks, get smashed by our cars.
My sons used to have to pick up the walnuts on the lawn.
They had to wear gardening gloves or else their hands would be stained.
They made that chore into a game.
They competed with each other to see who could throw the walnuts further into the woods.
As I passed the sixth grade boys waiting for their bus, I noticed their game.
They were playing soccer.
However, they did not have a soccer ball.
They were using walnuts that had fallen on the street.
It was as if they were in the World Cup.
They were taking this game so seriously.
They were trying to block each other’s kick so that no goal was scored.
I wanted to tell them, I kick the walnuts, too, every morning on my driveway.
They were having so much fun.
They each said, Hi, and waved to me as I passed.
I could hear them as I walked down the street.
I could hear their excitement when they scored a goal.
Imagination.
I kicked the walnuts out of necessity.
They kicked the walnuts because that is what you do.
Walnuts are soccer balls when you can imagine.
I used to put ballet leotards on my head when I was a little girl.
Those leotards became a wedding veil.
Those leotards became long flowing hair.
They leotards became whatever I imagined them to be.
If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it. (William Arthur Ward)
The imagination of a child is a precious thing.
The imagination of an adult is a precious thing.
When we read books, we imagine the characters and the setting.
When we draw pictures, we put on paper what we imagine in our head.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
Our imagination is a gift from God.
God is the creator; we are made in His image.
We cannot create ex nihilo, out of nothing.
Our creativity and our imagination come under the Lordship of Christ.
Encourage a child’s imagination.
Encourage your own.
Read, draw, paint, write, sculpt, build, and design all in His name.
See beyond this world to the next and tell about it.
Imagine.
Of course, this is what I believe and practice! Parents, limit phone time and encourage some creative activity. It makes me feel so close to the Great Creator when engaged in any art activity or singing and listening to music, reading and writing. Don’t deprive your children of this connection to God.
Yes, Sue.
Imagination needs to be encouraged, in adults and children.
Gina