All Power to the Imagination

                        My Granddaughters during a recent visit to La Belle Farm

Do you remember playing dress-up?

Do you remember chasing after a rabbit running through your grandmother's garden? Did the rabbit carry a pocket watch? Is it possible he was late for an appointment? Did he call you Alice, by any chance?

Do you remember when the trees were alive and would sway in the breeze with their arms waving at you as you left for school?

And the birds talked to you. And told you their secrets. Shared gossip about the squirrels. Do remember how the robins had a gift for speaking lots of different languages? How they were fluent in Bird Lingo? Cat Chatter? Barque? (The language of dogs).

Do you remember summer weekends, waking up before anyone else in your home, still in your nightgown, tiptoeing downstairs and then out the door to wake up the flowers, magic wand at the ready?

These things are still accessible to you. True, you might not want to get caught talking to squirrels (or maybe you do), but still—all this imaginary play is available to you even now. No matter how old you are.

As grown-ups we often forget how to enter into the world of make-believe. The truth is Reality wants you to focus and hard work. There are bills to pay! But more than this, if you sit down and really talk to Reality, it will admit that it's a little jealous. Reality wants to know what the trees are saying. Reality wants to be the one dancing with the Forest Fairies, the Pixies, the Dryads. But, you must stand up to reality—and fly, dance, sing, laugh--and make art.

Creative Friends--this is not a trivial matter. Your imaginary world is an essential part of your personhood. Fight to keep your creative portal open, flowing and free. Embrace the knowledge that you hold in your own heart the key to creating a peaceful, more verdant world--a world where everyone has a voice and a seat at the table. Just ask the birds, the trees, the fairies--even the squirrels. They’ll tell you. (If you’re listening, that is.)

Friends, it's time to summon all the magical forces around you and fight for the power of good.

Now--go outside and play.

Love,

Jamie