IMAGINATION
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Definition: the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. Interest, fascination, attention, passion, curiosity.
The ability for the mind to be creative or resourceful. Originality, innovation, innovativeness.
While “Takin Time Out” this week, I love to just sit and imagine potential possibilities. I truly feel blessed to have the gift of visualization. Not everyone has this gift, it comes very easy for some and others have to physically see, touch or hear in order to imagine. I recently read an article and you may want to try this little experiment to better understand how imagination can work. Do you have a lemon? They suggested cutting the lemon in half and squeezing some juice into your mouth and noticing how you react. Now if you don’t have a lemon let’s try this thought experiment and imagine that you have one, picture yourself slicing through the bright yellow rind, exposing the fruit from inside, see yourself holding it up and squeezing it and letting the tart juice splash onto your tongue. Can you feel yourself pucker or salivating not in your mind’s eye but in real life?” If so you have used your gift of imagination and if you couldn’t well let’s say we have some work to do! LOL…
As a child I think we are much more in tune to use our imagination, especially when we are playing with Lego’s, Lincoln logs, Hot Wheels, Tupperware or old pots and pans. Perhaps you let your child play in dirt or sand…when is the last time you had a mud pie or ventured around a moat into the sand castle you just built? We have to use the creative side to build or create those images stuck in our head. I love to watch my grandson with his action figures and how his voice makes sounds not so much words but things flying and crashing. Then there are my little granddaughters and how they are always talking while playing carrying on a conversation and pretending to cook, clean or take care of their little baby dolls. Isn’t that true with adults, women tend to say more words in a sentence and guys will sometimes elaborate with noise or sound effects or nodding of their head.
I have been fine tuning my goals for the year and breaking them down into bite size pieces so I can actually achieve the majority of them this year. As we have discussed in past blog articles, I am a goal driven individual, I like to make lists and check them off, I like to imagine making this place and space I live in more efficient, fun loving and makin special memories when opportunities present themselves. You see after coming off a very overwhelming fourth quarter at work and projecting additional challenges in the upcoming months, I have to figure out a way to better manage or improve these circumstances that are really out of my control. I do know I can manage my attitude and I can adjust the sails of the ship even though I can’t control the wind. Imagination plays a big role in this endeavor. What about you? Where is your imagination leading you to this year?
This week we just celebrated Rev. Martin Luther King Day, for some it was a day off from work or school, but not for me. That’s ok I always like to pause for a moment and respect a man who lived his purpose and passion and wasn’t afraid to live it. His famous speech given in August 1963, “I have a Dream!” I hope while he is sitting up in heaven he realizes what an impact he did make during his short life on earth. We all need a dream, we need to imagine and visualize. This brings us hope for a better future, when we stop using our imagination then that is a very sad day as we are just existing! A life of mediocrity with unfulfilled potential.
Our mind is very powerful it can run away with us leading us to act through suspicion or fear, but we can also use our imagination as a tool to change our life. How do you want your life to be? Do you want greatness, abundance, positive energy, love, health, happiness, success, prosperity, or contentment? Whatever it is can come to fruition if you will believe and belief begins with our imagination. What we visualize and put our minds to I firmly believe you can achieve.
One of my favorite Christian songs is “I can only Imagine” originally sung by Mercy Me. I want you to sing along or if you haven’t heard the song before just read the words:
I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me I can only imagine I can only imagine. Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall Will I sing Hallelujah will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine! I can only imagine! I can only imagine, when that day comes, When I find myself standing in the Son I can only imagine, when all I will do, Is forever, forever worship You I can only imagine! I can only imagine Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for you, Jesus or in awe of You, be still Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall Will I sing ‘Hallelujah! will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for you, Jesus or in awe of You, be still Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall Will I sing ‘Hallelujah! will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine! I can only imagine Yeah, I can only imagine I can only imagine I can only imagine. I can only imagine, when all I do is forever, forever worship You! I can only imagine.
The words remind me of our faith, whether you have a higher power mine just happens to be Christianity with the trinity God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. I believe a healthy imagination is crucial to the Christian life. Through my faith and imagination I know he is with me each and every day. I can overcome any obstacle or challenge as he will never leave or forsake me. One verse that comes to mind is from Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen”
As I sit here sipping on my scrumptious cup of Earl Grey tea, I just think of all the things that we use day in and day out. From the house, trailer or apartment we may live in to the public building we visit, the cars we drive even this computer I am typing my blog post on. It all began with one person’s imagination. A plan you might call it…it’s a perfect opportunity for us to ignite our imagination and make some plans to make this place or space a better place to live. Until next time I hope you will remember belly laughs are timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever…let’s activate our imagination this week while “Takin Time Out!”
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