As a child, my imagination ran with the wind. While my grandmother was using all her might to pry my brother’s fingers from the television remote and send him outside to play, I was begging her to let me stay out and play longer. Having a bicycle and a swing set at my disposal, I stretched the idea of make-believe and pretend to its limits.
One minute I was a princess in her castle ordering her servants around, then next I was using my bike, neighboring driveways, and sidewalks to pretend I was a bus driver dropping off kids and picking them up to take them to school. Your imagination is quite the nifty instrument, but one in which only you can access.
Imagination and creativity enhances the simple, yet powerful, skills you have. Problem solving, empathy, and ambition are the most important tools a person could acquire. At a Harvard commencement last week, JK Rowling received an honorary degree. When she gave her speech, she spoke of the importance and influence of the imagination.
“Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation,” Rowling said. “In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity; it is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared.” Think about how the world would be and what special items of technology we would be without had someone not been creative enough to consider the possibility.
I am sure that you have heard that showing your child how to be creative is important. But have you really considered the impact of other peoples creativity? The whole wheel idea was pretty sweet, dont you think? Your child has all the potential in the world to tap in to those crevices and invent something great. Yet, even if that doesnt happen for them, it is no loss at all.
Your child still benefits by being ambitious and having drive. So when you are sitting in the doctors office, be thankful that the doctors and nurses, who are taking care of you, know how to empathize and problem solve.