Feenhaus – Fairy House, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.

Some time ago my wife and I went to see Bridge to Terabithia, a surprisingly imaginative movie, certainly not what we first expected. As the movie progressed it reminded me much of my own childhood, inventing stories in my mind, turning seemingly mundane objects into fantastic settings. I remember sporadically being called out for my “large imagination” partly as a desirable quality and partly as a quip to being more “realistic” or “grounded”. I think our imagination is essential in dealing with reality as the movie so movingly demonstrated. Imagination is more than daydreaming, it is the quality to see behind the curtain, to be able to disconnect from reality and come back with new ideas that can be turned into realities, the ability to see beyond the physical limitations. Movies like the aforementioned Bridge to Terabithia, as well as stories like The Fountain, Mirrormask, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, Star Wars, Ghost in the Shell etc. are all very imaginative, often inspiring or thought provoking. Writers like Jules Verne even invented machines in their stories that came into existence decades later. In that sense being imaginative is not only healthy, it is encouraged to foster progress and enjoyment of life.