Imagine If...

I never had much of an imagination when I was a child. I had no imaginary friends and pretend games didn't really thrill me. The only "pretend" game I would play was house.

My sister, on the other hand, had the most active imagination I've ever seen in a child. Where I saw a stuffed teddy bear, she saw a best friend. Where I saw a blank piece of paper and crayons, she saw a the thrill of creating a masterpiece that consisted of whatever she could dream up. I remember one time our car broke down and the only thing we could find to occupy her was a piece of string and a stick. No joke, she was kept busy for hours, as the string became a snake that needed charming, then a rope to climb up a tower to rescue a princess, then a swing set tied to a tree for fairies to swing on.

I specifically remember looking at her that day, full of envy for her imagination.

Well, what a relief it was when I realized that the Mermaid takes more after my sister in imagination. Give her a simple toy and she'll be busy for hours, dreaming up all types of scenarios in her mind to play out. The best part is, she plays them out loud in her cute, limited two-year-old vocabulary, so when I am washing the dishes I get to listen to her narrate her adventures. In this limited way, I find myself getting a glimpse of the type of imagination I had always wished for.

This morning the Mermaid, the Guppy and I were sitting on the living room floor playing with some blocks. The Mermaid built a small tower of blocks and her imagination began to fly. First the tower was a bridge, spanning a safe way across a dangerous river, which was actually a small spot of drool left by the Guppy. Then the block tower turned into a wild stallion, which one of her dolls bravely leaped on to and endured the bucking and rearing until the magnificent stallion calmed down and they became friends. Next the block tower was a boat, navigating it's way around the living room through dangerous rapids and waterfalls. I laughed as the Mermaid "swooshed" her way across the floor, yelling with glee and delight at the rapids. She looked up at the sound of my laugh and held out the block tower. "For you, Mommy" she said and looked at me expectantly.

I took the block tower and held it in my hand. It just looked like a block tower to me. But, wait a minute....it sort of looked like a clarinet if you squint your eyes and tilt your head to the side. And so, putting the block tower to my lips...I played the clarinet. I tooted out a song and wiggled my fingers. The Mermaid clapped with glee and began to dance around. When I looked up she had become a ballerina, and we were onstage in an auditorium full of fans. I picked up a faster beat and all of a sudden we were a marching band, in the middle of a stadium full of people during halftime. I started playing more slowly again and suddenly the Mermaid and I were both fairies, dancing and singing our fairy babies to sleep.

Exhausted from all the dancing, we both collapsed on the floor laughing next to the Guppy, who was smiling and moving to her own beat. I handed the block tower back to the Mermaid and gave her a kiss.
"Thank you" I said.
"You're welcome" she answered, and started off on her next adventure.

Imagine If...