THOUGHTS FOR THOUGHT
“Here, then, let me throw into the opposite side of the balance, what I truly
believe is the best of me: my devotion to the mental life, to those truly divine
faculties of intellect and imagination, which, when exercised to the utmost, can
make gods of us all.”
- Michael Cox, “The Meaning of Night”
While I may work at what I do and volunteer at what I do, what I really enjoy is (really and truly) all in my head. My imagination and power of creativity allow me the freedom of self expression to navigate the roads less traveled.
Where others may lose themselves in prime time television, I am losing myself in role play projects, Pathfinder games, my own writing, or something else entirely. Allowing myself this creative downtime makes me better at doing my job every time I go in to do my job. It allows my brain to crunch the social science the way it needs to be crunched without the creative residue pileup that would certainly occur without the methods of self expression I allow myself.
Active imaginations are important in young people and adults for developing a good sense of humor and social skills. These creative types may find themselves to be better problem solvers than their peers due to their ability to engage problems from a less traditional angle. Finding solutions where previously there were none visible.
It is not just about playing video games (although I have noticed that my reaction time from playing Player Vs Player combat has made me a better driver and given me better reflexes), it is about self expression through avenues not normally explored: taking on the role of a character, writing out stories in your head (whether you finish them or not), any form of artistic expression, sitting down to play a board or card game with friends, or even meditation.
Stepping outside your own traditional mindset of thinking about how you engage imagination for a moment, and looking at it from a different angle may also aid you in a creative rut. Engaging role play on a different avenue than previous, writing on a different schedule or in a different medium, etc.
Those truly divine faculties of intellect indeed will make gods of us all: whomever you become when traveling down that creative highway is what matters. As is who you are at work will be what matters there. If the two never meet, it is of no consequence. Our lives do not always have to intersect.
At the crossroads of our imagination and reality, remember, we always come back. It is when we find ourselves mired in either one that we are truly lost. Ground yourself in both and you will find your way back to either one easily.
We are beings of wonderment, go and create something wonderful.
