When I was little, I was quite an adventurer. I can’t even begin to count how many islands I was stranded on, how many dragons I’ve slain, and how much treasure I had amassed. I was also an avid alchemist. A plastic baseball bat, when it was gripped in my hands suddenly became a magical sword or, if I held it just so, it would become a machine gun. My imagination was a very powerful weapon.
Once, I was fighting giant crabs at our beach. There was still an army of them left and none of them were going to die without a sound whack from my mighty sword. Then I noticed a shell on the beach. Instantly, I destroyed the crabs with my imagination as I explored my precious find. I picked it up and underneath it I found a great treasure. It was nothing but a clear glass marble, but, in my mind, it was a pearl. I kept this pearl with religious care and I never let my brothers and sisters play with this marble as if it were a common marble. It was far more precious to me than those.
In a few years, I lost this pearl, and though I looked and looked for it time and time again, I was never able to find my treasure.
Recently, as we were digging through Christmas ornaments to put on our tree, I was scraping the bottom of the container that we keep them in. And what did I happen to find but a clear glass marble? My heart jumped and my eyes were fixed in awe of what I had found. I picked up this piece of my past. It was like I had found my childish imagination again after having lost it so many years ago.
As we finished decorating the Christmas tree, I wondered what my next activity ought to be. I thought about playing computer games and then I sternly rebuked myself. How could I play computer games when there were so many dragons to be slain? I went over to my neighbor’s house to play with their kids. Unfortunately, they did not want to swing a plastic bat to destroy the hoards of ferocious flying lizards, but they did want to enlist my help in their epic battle with the Sith Lords. So gladly did I pick up a stick, turn it into a lightsaber, and swing frantically as the Sith Lord enticed us to the dark side. I am glad to say that Earth is no longer in danger of the Sith Lords.
I enjoy my childlike imagination, as immature as it may sound. Oh well. I know what real life is and I know how to live it. But every now and then, I just need to release my silly imagination, be a kid and play with kids again, and have another adventure with them.
