Friday, March 22, 2024
My friend has a 5-year-old son named Henry who can, as his father puts it, “charm the pants off of anyone!” On a recent visit, Henry and I went out into the park across from their house to toss a frisbee. We started inventing interesting and fun uses for it – hit the flagpole, or knock pinecones off the bench. We found sticks that became magic wands. If you could touch the frisbee with the wand as it was tossed to you, it would give you special powers.
We also invented stories. We thought of plots with characters that got into all sorts of predicaments. There were bad and good guys, but the ending was always good. Henry’s imagination is fertile. I was in awe.
Most of us use our imaginations to paint gloomy scenarios of the future. We use them to make up lies, like telling ourselves we’ll get to the gym tomorrow, or that one donut won’t hurt. We use them to set limits. Henry knows no limits.
What are you imagining for yourself? Is it gloomy? It’s time for heroes, victories, and breakthroughs. Not only does Henry love to make things up, he loves to play and to figure out winning strategies. He loves the freedom to let it unfold without a plan and to have a do-over if you need to – he’s very forgiving. Imagine what an adult could do with the same kind of imaginative spirit and childlike openness. If only we’d let ourselves create something we love rather than creating nightmares that frighten us. Thank you Henry! Your charm ignited my imagination. I look forward to finding more adventures within myself. The heroes in this world are younger than you might think, and they always seem to have the best ideas. Go ahead, let them charm the pants off you. That might be the only way to have fun in this world.