Whimsy and Imagination!

Whimsy and Imagination!

Why is it Considered Just Child’s Play?

 Why is it that children can play and adults can’t? If a child starts to pretend and make up a story it is considered whimsical fanciful fun and totally accepted. If an adult starts to come up with a story it is considered childish, a waste of time, and strange.

I see no reason why both children and adults can’t be whimsical. Whimsy brings joy into life. Whimsy brings inspiration and creativity into our daily lives. It is only those that know how to set aside the adult constraints and start thinking as a child with an open mind and no holds barred on creativity that succeed in life.

Those that chose to retain that childlike attitude are the ones that took us to the moon and back. Only those with that open mind are able to solve problems that the average adult mind couldn’t even conceive. Only those with imagination will find the cures to disease, poverty, and social ills.

One of the greatest thinkers of the last several generations, Albert Einstein once said this:

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.

For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand,

while imagination embraces the entire world,

and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

          I believe what he was trying to say is that without imagination you can’t think out-of-the-box to solve a problem. Today’s schools and society put our children into boxes and limit their thinking.

          Walt Disney also had his own comment on children and imagination:

“Every child is born blessed with a said imagination.

But just as a muscle grows flabby with disuse

so the bright imagination of a child pales in later years if he ceases to exercise it.”

          Walt Disney also said:

“That’s a real trouble with the world, too many people grow up.

They forget. They don’t remember what it is like to be 12 years old.

They patronize, they treat children as inferiors. I won’t do that.

I’ll temper a story, yes. But I won’t play down, and I won’t patronize.”

          We must treasure our whimsy and imagination. We must exercise our creativity and choose to have fun. As Willy Wonka said, “A little whimsy now and then is cherished by the wisest man.”

          I go to Disneyland as often as I do, watch Disney movies, and just plain think happy thoughts to keep my whimsy. I don’t want to be one of the ones that forgets what it’s like to be 12 years old and enjoy life.

          So when you’re with your child, and they want to treat Mickey Mouse as real don’t stop them. Encourage them to make up stories. Encourage them to make rocket ships out of cardboard boxes. Encourage them in any art or creative endeavor they want to try. Who knows, you may just be inspiring the next Einstein, Walt Disney or Mdm. Curie. Your child may someday walk on Mars because you gave them the permission to dream and play.