“Hold your breath; make a wish, count to three (source).”
I know Roald Dahl is a bit of a sticking point for some people. But, I think he has written some of the most wonderful books of all time. And, there are not many movies more magical than “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” I had a tremendous crush on Gene Wilder when this movie came out. If you know me, you also know of my infatuation for (with?) Johnny Depp. I did enjoy “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” but Johnny’s Willy Wonka didn’t make me want to rush out to find a golden ticket. I liked that this movie more closely followed the book, but Gene Wilder will always be the quintessential Willy Wonka for me. But, you didn’t come here for a movie review! So, on with the show!
The intro…
Last month, when Suzy chose “Imagination” as our August theme, I thought I’d go in one direction, and then I took a completely different road! Come along with me as I search for my imagination!
Here we go…
Imagination. Where does it go? Does it hide under the bed with the monsters? Does it cower in a corner, waiting to be called upon? Or, is it squashed into a drawer, forgotten and unwanted? It seems like imagination is missing. Or, am I the only one missing imagination?
When I was a kid growing up in a very small town in a large-ish (for the time) neighborhood, imagination ruled my days. Many of the lots in the neighborhood were undeveloped, and they were my playgrounds. Those lots were usually not mowed and made the best places for forts. We would stomp the waist high grass down to form the borders and moats. We created elaborate mazes and often ruined them as we made our way out of them.
My parents had bought a school playground when a city school had burned down. That playground was the site for many different imaginative days of play. Some days, I was the queen of all I surveyed as I carried my lunch up to the top of the slide whilst wearing my gorgeous cape made of the finest terry cloth towel that came in the detergent box. Other days, I was one of the Flying Wallendas making daring jumps and acrobatic moves on the swing. Some days, I rivalled Charles Blondin as I balanced the teeter totter beneath my usually bandaged up feet. Why were they bandaged, you ask? Because I consistently and against the rules rode my bike barefooted! I always scraped the tops of my toes off on the road!
Mom always had my hair chopped cut into a Pixie so she didn’t have to mess with me. I longed for luscious long locks. What’s a girl to do? Well, you get one of the aforementioned towels that came from the detergent box, and you styled it on your head. If I was feeling really fancy, I’d grab one of the striped ones! You could wear it long and flowing, or you could twirl it into the most elaborate updo possible.
Oh, yes, I used my imagination to visit foreign lands, ride black steeds across plains and deserts alike, and soar on a sumptuous rug over the highest mountains. Books usually fueled those visits because I was an avid reader.
Lately, though, it seems my imagination has gone missing. I have looked under the beds, through my stash of yarn, and even poked around in the few remaining unpacked boxes in the attic. I just cannot find it.
If you’re out and about, please look into the corners because it may be lurking there. I imagine it’s multicolored and covered in glitter and gemstones, of course. It’s rather like a pinwheel, too, if that helps. If you hear something that’s a cross between a cat purring and a baby giggling, that just might be my imagination. It sounds a bit like that when it’s happy. If, however, you hear something that sounds like nails on a chalkboard, I’d avoid it. That’s my imagination being very annoyed with me.
Hmmm…as I read back through this, it seems my imagination hasn’t escaped me. It’s just grown a bit older and maybe a bit more verbose. It seeps out of my fingers rather than dashing out of my hands and toes. Well, I’m very relieved to find my imagination hasn’t deserted me after all. It was just in disguise!
Wrap it up, Marsha!
Honestly, I just let this prompt loose! When I was teaching creative writing to my fourth graders, this is not the way I would have taught them. That’s because of standardized testing and the need to see their planning! Sometimes, the best writing is just free flowing, right? So, can we talk? Are you an imaginative person? Or, do you consider yourself more creative? Are they one and the same? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as soon as possible.
Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, and Style Splash. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend with Gail and Emma every Thursday. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
What others are saying…
Suzy writes: “Curious about what’s cooking in Suzy’s imaginative mind? Her latest blog post, ‘Imagination,’ spills the beans on her lifelong love affair with books and the wild scenarios she dreams up – from sharks in puddles to kites morphing into dragons. Get ready for a fun-filled journey through Suzy’s creative world, where even everyday objects become magical with a little help from tools like Leonardo AI!”
“This month’s topic of Imagination has Mary Katherine thinking of 2 summer creatures that inspired her imagination from childhood to now! Check out her post to see what they are…”
Leslie adds, “Having to really use my imagination to talk about August’s Tell Us About theme…Imagination!”
“Debbie has a vivid imagination which can work for and against her at times. In this post she looks at the role of imagination in everyday life and how we can nurture our imagination to enhance our lives.”
Sue ponders, “Have you ever wondered what makes some people more successful, happier, and fulfilled than others? What is the secret ingredient that allows them to achieve their goals, overcome their challenges, and live their dreams? Sue, from Women Living Well After 50 finds answers to these questions and discovers that Imagination is a key to living well after 50.”
Gail from Is This Mutton wonders if we are less imaginative as we get older.
And, Penny writes, “Penny wondered if she had any imagination but yes, she could ….. imagine…..” Please click through each blogger’s underlined name/blog to see their posts!
And, now it’s your turn!
If you’d like to link up your imagination posts, please pop over to Gail’s blog, Is This Mutton, for the link up!
I was just like you as a child. I could let out my imagination in the woods near our house, building huts and act as it was my house etc. What a interesting theme.
Oh, Nancy! I meant to include the time I would spend in our apple tree imagining I was living in the wild! We had wonderful childhoods, right!
Thanks so much, Nancy!
It’s strange isn’t it how some of us were highly imaginative as children but over time seem to lose that sense of wonder and delight. I saw lots of psychological research that indicates it’s inevitable because of all the responsibilities we have, but it is possible to channel our right brain and rediscover our imagination. I’m going to try!
It is strange and sad at the same time. I saw some information that said we are so delighted, as children, because everything is new and full of wonder. And, as we get older, we grow accustomed to those same things so they lose their wonder. I think I was able to keep some of my imagination going because I taught 9 and 10 year olds. I absolutely believe that’s the best age ever because they still like school; they can work independently; and they think you’re pretty cool, too!
I am a middle brained person, but I think my left brain dominated for so many years that my right brain just kinda atrophied. Blogging has certainly awakened that right brain, and I’m finding I’m more imaginative and creative than I’d thought!
Thanks, Gail!
I love this response! It’s a delightful journey. I too used towels as hair. That’s so funny. I’d forgotten. What a fabulous post!
Thanks!!!
I love this response! It’s a delightful journey. I too used towels as hair. That’s so funny. I’d forgotten. What a fabulous post! (I’m having tech issues and it’s saying a duplicate post??)
Oh, I am seeing two of the same comments, Lydia. I know that sometimes happens to me, too.
I really had fun with this prompt once I got going. I had forgotten about wearing towels on my head until I wrote about using one as a cape.
Thanks so much, Lydia!
While I definitely feel like I still use my imagination whenever I’m crafting I know I don’t tap into it anywhere near as frequently or to the extent I did as a kid. Though I did get to enjoy building forts and things alongside my boys.
I haven’t been crafting as much in this house as I just don’t have the space, and I pretty much created more than enough wreaths for the seasons! That’s the problem with some crafts…what to do with the finished products…though cards and scrapbook pages don’t really have that problem, right?
Thanks, Joanne!
Oh Marsha this was a real hoot of a post! I loved all the stories and imagery and you certainly haven’t lost your imagination! Arren’t these prompts fun when we let ourselves loose?
Thanks, Deb! I wasn’t sure what would happen once I started writing. And, then it just kind of happened! I love these writing challenges because they make me think.
Marsha, how I love this! And you thought your imagination had gone missing eh? LOL…you use your imagination every time you create your stunning outfits, my friend!
Brilliant use of images too. Brilliant!
Hugs
Suzy xx
Thanks, Suzy! I just started writing, and BAM! There it was. I didn’t even think of imagination when I get dressed, but I guess you’re right! Thanks for suggesting this, Suzy. It was quite a bit of fun!
I was very imaginative as a child but seem to have lost some of it! I need to find it and let it run!
I felt the same way, Lisa. You may be surprised to find it lurking in a corner somewhere.
Thanks for coming by!
These days my imagination is more in my head than something I acted out growing up, but I think it’s still quite strong and (I hope) healthy. I think imagination and creativity are related but distinct concepts. The image of the striped towel hair made me laugh!
Hahaha!! I’m glad you enjoyed the image of me with my striped towel hair! I had quite the imaginative childhood. I truly grew up in a magical place and time. I agree…imagination and creativity are linked but different!
Thanks so much, Sally, for stopping by!
I loved this post. I was also a reader and used books to stir my imagination, I wish I had known you when we were younger. What fun we would have had together. Thank you.
Eileen, I’m sure we would have built forts together and rode our bikes all over the place! When Suzy suggested this theme, I really thought I had no imagination at all. It was only in writing my post that I discovered I have all kinds of imagination. It’s just a little different from when we were kids!
Thanks so much, Eileen!
PS: I loved Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka too. What a crazy and wonderful actor.
I went down the rabbit hole and was watching all kinds of YouTube videos about him. I think he was truly a gifted and kind man. The world became a little less bright when he passed.
So true. I felt so sad when I heard he had passed away, Dudley Moore too.
Oh, Dudley Moore seemed like such a lovely man. I loved him in Arthur.
You really ought to be an author Marsha. You have such a gift for story telling, and your imagination is still intact, for sure.
XOXO
Jodie
Thanks, Jodie! I fear I’m not disciplined enough to actually create an entire piece of anything! In my younger days, I thought I would write the Great American Novel…hahaha!!! One of my first college courses was Honors Composition which I sailed through. The next composition course had a different instructor with completely different expectations. My first paper…I got a C or a D on it and was devastated. She was more interested in the structure of the writing rather than the contents. That has always stuck with me…don’t the negatives do that?
As for imagination, I thought mine was gone until I started writing that post! I guess I am imaginative!
You are so right, Jodie. She is a wonderful writer and raconteur.
Oh, you’re making me blush!
Growing up I used to go to sleep by telling myself stories from which I was always the heroine: on a pirate ship, in a castle, captured by the Indians, anything and everything.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
That’s a wonderful memory, Mireille. I used to do the same thing except I was a movie star!
That was a lovely read and so imaginative!!! You are such a good writer and I loved your description of your childhood.adventures in the playground that your parents bought – wow, what a fantastic thing to do! I think this writing challenge we do is so good as we are not only writing every month because we have to, what happens is that we are also learning about ourselves (I am imaginative!) and others. It’s so interesting to see what we all write.
Really enjoyed reading this 🙂
Thank you so much, Penny! I truly take that as a compliment because I think you’re a fabulous writer. That was one of the things that drew me to your blog…the writing! Yes, I was so lucky to grow up in the neighborhood I did because everyone knew everyone. My husband actually attended the school from which the playground came. It burned down when he was in second grade. I’m not sure how my dad even found out about it. But, we had a wonderful time. I was so imaginative and in my head as a child.
I love this series. I really have to dig deep, for the most part, so I feel a part of the group!
I was very imaginative as a child – well we had no YouTube or TikTok to distract us so we had to make our own games! I think as we get older we get so busy that we don’t have enough time to just let our minds wander. I find my imagination coming to life again when I’m on holiday and can fully relax away from the TV.
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
I think you are very right. We are so busy living our adult lives that we do forget to imagine. I wonder if we will see a difference in the output of creative books, art, and such because of social media and tablets.
Thanks, Emma!