My imagination..or lack thereof

I recently read You Are a Badass. It’s a funny, accessible book about living your best life. I found myself giggling through so many of her stories and examples. One of the themes (well, of all books in this genre) is coming up with a dream you believe so strongly, you are so fixated on that you make it come true. Rachel Hollis says that her ability to see her wild dreams in vivid color and detail is one of her super powers.

I don’t have that super power. My super power is probably loving people. Maybe it’s trying new things. Possibly stepping into the uncomfortable conversations. Like asking my friend how the criminal trial for her father sexually abusing her son was going, how grieving the miscarriage is progressing, or if the depression still remains. Those places are lonely. I might offend, but it’s worth it to me should the veil of loneliness be pierced by a true connection.

Anyway, back to me being a badass. I have a chronic problem of always evaluating what I think is achievable, if an idea is feasible. If I don’t think it is then I’ll disregard it. I play in the land of attainable execution. I don’t dwell in the fairytale land of creating something all new, a different reality where the impossible suddenly IS. I DON’T USE MY IMAGINATION!! Well, I do, but it’s usually between a wound and forgiveness when I play out rage sessions that will never materialize against my offender. Reading Jen Sincero’s book made me realize I don’t imagine all the wild, bountiful, glorious realities that could come to be.

That’s sad. I’ve lost my imagination. The good kind that dwells in unabashed possibility. I don’t even know the last time I had it. Or if I ever did. But I want to imagine. I want to dream bigger, grander, unconstrained, like all things really are possible.

I asked Lydia what her dreams were.

“Well, like to fly like a fairy?” She clarified. “Or that I get my own dog? Or that poverty would be stamped out all over the world?”

Yes Lydia, like that. If I can’t dream my own wild dreams today, I want to practice imagining Lydia’s dreams into reality. And I want to be more like her. Unfettered by the present reality.

For we live by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7