It is not hard to know the difference between the seeker and non-seeker in life, is it – those who acquiesce to a dutiful role and those who yearn for excitement and adventure? The latter are the ones who receive all the glory and fame, and the former are faceless and forgotten by history. Both groups, however, have their moments of pain, their moments of solitude. (1)
The explorer, undoubtedly, finds the life of the conventional disquieting and unpleasant and the conformist questions the sanity of life constantly “spent on the edge.” What is missed in this comparison is that the two groups are inextricably linked – the one could not exist without the other, much like a curious honey bee needs the nectar of a stationary flower. It is obvious that society needs both personality types to function normally – a civic partnership if you will — the one to create the ideas and make the discoveries and the other to document and catalog the relevant material. They are symbiotically linked.
All civilizations are conservative by their very nature. We often read how in the Age of Discovery, (2) the valiant few went off and uncovered a whole new world of economic expansionism and cultural and spiritual opportunity. What is not told is that the vast majority of the European population was comprised of peasants living on the land. Their lives were mostly difficult and short. (3) They stayed home. The minority that captained the ships and commanded the battalions fared fairly well for the times. The crew and the average soldier on these expeditions had a much more difficult time, though. Many did not want to go and were “press-ganged,” or forced into service. Few would, in reality, see a return to their native land. (4)
In our modern era, we also see a deep-seated traditionalism in our upbringing and in our schools. This is of great difficulty in the Age of the Internet for virtually all young people are fully exposed to the knowledge of the world by the time they are in their early teens. Adolescents are naturally imaginative and curious. They want to explore and be adventurers of the self. Very quickly, nonetheless, they are locked into a career path that advocates security – finish school and get a “job” so you can make money and thus achieve financial stability. It is, unfortunately, all illusory. They are no stable jobs and there is no concrete future, especially in the 21st century. (5) The situation, of course, is better for youth in first-world regions like North American and Europe, but it is still difficult. This is a time that all school-age children should be allowed to explore their talents. If they then decide on a conservative future, it is their choice. They can feel no remorse for their choices.
“Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it’s produced the most extraordinary results in human culture. … Whether or not you discover your talents and passions is partly a matter of opportunity. If you’ve never been sailing, or picked up an instrument, or tried to teach or to write fiction, how would you know if you had a talent for these things?” (6) It is, therefore, our responsibility as students, parents, teachers, and educators to present every human being with the keys to unlock their future. The choice to open the door must, however, remain their own. Playwright and polemicist, George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) leaves us with a thought: Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and, at last, you create what you will.
A closing thought: We are often asked to harken back to a time in our youth when we ran barefoot through the fields of our grandparents’ farm. Everything appeared so fresh and alive: the sounds emitted by the livestock – the mooing, the neighing, and the clucking – only adding to our mental visualization. It becomes increasingly more and more difficult to recall this time as we age. This is when an effort is required. Take your shoes and socks off and go for a walk in nature. Go into a shopping center and imagine that you are a spy. Push a shopping cart and believe you are a racecar driver. Do whatever it takes to keep your imagination alive. Your body may grow old, but your mind will get progressively younger. Remember the old chestnut, “You are only as old as you think you are.”
To sum up: This week, we spoke about imagination and its necessary place in our lives.
A philosophical question: Why does it often cost more to repair an item than to buy it again brand new?
Just for fun – Claude Debussy – Arabesque No. 1
This week, on your walk through the park, please imagine that you are somewhere in another time and in another place.
Every day look for something magical and beautiful.
Quote: Only curiosity and action can keep your mind fresh and alive.
Footnotes:
1) One Hundred Years of Solitude
3) A Guide to Longevity Throughout History, From the Prehistoric Onward
5) Youth in crisis: Coming of age in the 21st century
6) Sir Ken Robinson: The Element (ISBN 9-788-4253-434-07)