Amy Lu's View

Imagination is a good thing, right?

My first response to this question is a resounding “Hell, Yeah!”

I’m pondering this question because our church’s theme for January is “Imagination.”

I even have a bit (okay, a lot) of a prejudice against people who seem to have little or no sense of imagination. But maybe that’s just defensiveness–“Sci-Fi/Fantasy” is my favorite genre of entertainment and art, but it seems to be frequently maligned, so I compensate by pitying those poor souls who have no ability to suspend disbelief.

Of course limiting “imagination” to just being able to dig vampires and superheroes and Time Lords is pretty unimaginative. And imagination isn’t always positive. As I touched on in my last Frog and Toad blog post, imagination helps us see and consider all types of possibilities–both positive and negative. It can fuel our anxiety and our optimism.

Imagination helps us to identify with and have compassion for others…whether they be fictional aliens or Republicans. And in doing so, we learn more about ourselves. Imagination also allows us to get lost in made-up scenarios where the Big Bad Other is out to get us.

Imagination makes life more full, and interesting, and meaningful…and also stressful and scary. It helps us do great, and terrible, things on a personal and communal level. It empowers us to create and work and play and love and hate and fear and be brave.

AND…stories about vampires and witches and space travellers are just way more cool and interesting and compelling, and I can’t help but feel smug if you don’t get that. I just can’t imagine a reality where I wouldn’t be self-righteous about that.