Imagination—the Mother of Hope and Invention
Last week I spent a chunk of my time
coaching superheroes. These superheroes are commonly disguised as high
school students, but last week they transformed themselves into fantasy
superheroes—Ligrewoman who is so stunningly beautiful she can immobilize
any foe with just a look, The Flash who moves like lightning, the
Suburban Sadist, a master of deceit, and Gluttonaire, the human garbage
disposal—just to name a few. The Museum Teen Volunteers performed their
annual murder mystery over the weekend, and once again, fantasy was the
name of the game.
However, there was more than play
going on. I believe these teens were actually in training for a
“superhero” role in real life. It takes unbridled imagination to be a
hero. I think of heroes like suffrage pioneer Susan B. Anthony or
Archbishop Desmond Tutu who had the imagination to look beyond the
social constraints of their times to envision “the impossible.” Heroes
are not fatalists. They have powerful imaginations that refuse to
submit to fear, expediency and complacency.
Imagination is the mother of hope and
invention. There is another kind of imagination that is used to deceive
oneself. It rewrites history and refuses to see the suffering and
disappointment in life. Imagination that breeds hope and invention
understands the world for what it is, and then like a sculptor,
perceives how it can be chiseled into something new.
The teens and I discussed the
importance of imagination. “Is there a time in life when people are
more imaginative?” Although I expected for them to indicate early
childhood, most thought it was now, right where they are at present.
Chelsey Walters said she does a lot of activities that require
imagination. Reading books, for one. Lewis Carroll, author of the
Alice in Wonderland books, is her favorite author. She’s also very
involved in art at Coshocton High School. Anne Thomas, thespian, dancer
and visual artist, said she cultivates her imagination by adopting a
curious attitude about the things around her. She tries to look at
things in a brand new way, even if she has seen it a hundred times
before. Courtney Bairas agreed that the best way to engage your
imagination is to experience your world like you would as a young
child. She said that doing things like the murder mystery was another
way to stretch your mind.
I asked the teens to complete this
sentence: “Using your imagination is….” Javad Azadi was the first to
speak. Using your imagination is “fundamental to our existence. It’s
what makes you, you.” Others kicked in—It’s liberating. It’s
invigorating—keeps you youthful and exuberant. It’s the biggest play
toy ever invented. You only need yourself and a little bit of time.
Then I asked what they did to
experience their imagination. I was pummeled with answers. Daydream.
Do artwork. Make programs and write software. Act in the murder
mystery. Play guitar. Several teens, John Pollock and Steven Shroyer,
write poetry and listen to music.
I was most interested in the answer to
my last question. Is there public value in imagination? Javad gave me
that horrified “I-can’t-believe-you-asked-us-that” look. Of course! He
went on to say that it promotes free thought and encourages
progression. It was the springboard of every important 20th
century equal rights movement, such as women’s liberation and civil
rights. It is the root system of the environmental conservation
movement. If you can’t imagine a world without trees…if you can’t
imagine depleted oil reserves, you’ll not take the action needed to
avoid a painful crisis.
Imagination is a form of
generosity, states Paul Rogat Loeb, editor of The Impossible Will
Take a Little While. “It creates an expansive vision of what’s
possible and helps people recognize the fundamental bonds between
them.” Now is the best time to counter those constricting “no
alternative” scenarios that make us despair. Take it from the young and
hopeful. Imagination is good for the soul and good for our world.
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