Same here Fr. Bill. I have found that while reading a novel that really captures the imagination one begins to mentally image the story not just read it. The brain translates the story into a movie of sorts and unlike a real movie whose imagery is spoon fed to you. The mind creates its own interpretation and can be very vivid.

I sincerely believe that it was because of my early interest in reading (primarily science fiction) that I succeeded in developing a very vivid and rich imagination. I also seemed to have developed a deep empathy as well.

 

I'm not the least bit embarrassed to admit that especially when reading author's who've developed strong voices, that I often find myself uttering ejaculations of joy where appropriate, as well as tears of sadness whenever "Bad Things" happen to one of the characters. :He He:

 

I'm also convinced that one of the chief reasons I enjoy flight simulation so much is because of my highly tuned imagination.

 

 

I sincerely believe that it was because of my early interest in reading (primarily science fiction) that I succeeded in developing a very vivid and rich imagination. I also seemed to have developed a deep empathy as well.

 

I find a great deal of affinity or connection to your post. Almost a spooky kind of 'same here' thing. Edgar Rice Burroughs - Escape from Venus while in the fourth grade. Mother found it and bought it for me at a rummage sale. That was the start. Before that it was cartoons, The Lone Ranger and The Three Stooges. From then on it was reading, out in the woods playing / learning / imagining with time out for baseball, basketball and football. The world opened to me like a giant flower by way of imagination and real world experience. Where I grew up if you didn't have an imagination you were one extremely bored vegetable.

 

I sometimes wonder if empathy is a unusual quality. It seems that so few have the ability to perceive another persons emotions on that level and make a connection with how the other must feel and experience that with them.

 

 

 

I'm not in any way telling you how to raise your kids/grandchildren and I know your story is not true. But just in case you've got to be careful because most teenagers I see today on the street are extremely spoiled taking drinks, drugs and destroying our great city with graffiti, even on our monuments of the dead war veterans. Simply disgusting... And what's worries me is that this generation is actually the people who are going to be in charge for the future.

 

I am not offended in the least. I agree with your concerns. Although, with my some what cynical outlook I think maybe this has been a concern with the more mature people everywhere for tens of thousands of years. Take heart, our fears have only been fulfilled about half the time, the rest of the time they end up only being half as bad as predicted.

 

Regards to all,

 

P.S. Sorry folks, I just realized how far from the original topic this has gotten.

Mel, in my case I was addicted to Heinlein. It all began innocently enough with "Satellite Scout," which was serialized in Boys' Life magazine. Reading those old issues led me to the novelization of that story published as Farmer in the Sky.

 

Isaac Asimov was then added to my expanding universe of science-fiction, although not "fantasy," which means of course that your novelist de jure Burroughs never did push my buttons during those early, formative years. Thus my juvenile feet were anchored firmly on the path of science.

 

I believe that one of the absolute prerequisites for development of empathy is a highly developed imagination. Another prerequisite is undoubtedly honest introspection coupled with the mindset to always treat others as you yourself wish to be treated.

 

 

I believe that one of the absolute prerequisites for development of empathy is a highly developed imagination. Another prerequisite is undoubtedly honest introspection coupled with the mindset to always treat others as you yourself wish to be treated.

 

Perfectly stated and from my point of view and life experience, perfectly true. Thank you.

 

Regards,

 treat others as you yourself wish to be treated.

 

... and oh what a place that would be indeed Fr. Bill.   I can   a  l  m  o  s t    "imagine" that until I read on the front page of the morning paper that some folks couldn't.

 

I've been to the blue yonder for countless hours upon days in a consequence of your and many others imaginations "flying" that Cessna, Beech or Boeing with less than nary a care    except perhaps a stutter, OOM or CTD from replacing my overclocked imagination with a few too many sliders to the right

 

Imagination has been essential both as a kid playing cops and robbers and in my post-childhood, making family and making buildings.  I can't imagine life without imagination and the simplicity of this ad tickled mine like not many others.

 

Thanks for everyones thoughts on this I have enjoyed the 'conversation".

 

 

I can't imagine life without imagination

 

Love it! So subtle, but so true.

 

I played Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, Soldiers, Pilot, Astronaut and race car driver and much more. Now I am playing at being adult (well most of the time).

 

Regards,

Mel, since I was an (adopted) only child, I spent a lot of time playing alone. So I was forced to imagine playmates a lot of the time, especially when on holiday visiting one of my aunts in Bowling Green, Florida who lived in the family's 'homestead' in the middle of an orange grove out in the country.  B o r i n g!

 

It's amazing though what one can do with nothing but a flashlight and a large room's empty floor. I could imagine everything from trucks' headlights to aircraft 'landing' at night.

 

 

Mel, since I was an (adopted) only child, I spent a lot of time playing alone.

 

Your adoptive parents seem to have done a fine job Bill.

 

One is never truly alone unless they talk to themselves and no one answers. :Big Grin:  I had been drug to a few relatives places like that. Me and my (only) younger sister made a game out of it. She would wow them with her cuteness while I ran amok and just when they couldn't take much more I would sneak off and get real quiet and sis would take her turn running amok. We would repeat this (just short of needing disciplined by our parents) until the poor old people were on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Then we would walk into the room where they were and shoulder to shoulder we would ask if we could spend the night. That always worked to make sure we did not have to spend the night. Other relatives were a real joy to be around and they never ever seen the 'dark side' of us. There are a lot of wonderful memories there. I should write a book, " The Good, the Bad and the Slightly Demonic ".

 

Ah the good old flashlight imagination tool! A box on the bed, a blanket over it and a pillow inside. Instant Mercury space capsule.

 

I got a good chuckle out of your yellow banner note. That reminds me of a TV ad, "Are you suffering from memory loss?". Ahh er hmm I don't think, . . . . ahh what was the question again?

 

Regards,

I had a St. Bernard as a kid. When I was eight my little sister was born and Barney had to go  He had a little too much energy, hair and slobber to be in the same room with an infant. My parents gave him to the town butcher so I'm sure he had a quite a happy life. He must have felt like he died and went to dog bone heaven.

 

I cried for quite a while when the butcher came to take my pal away, but my Dad who was an electrical engineer at IBM converted his pretty large dog house into a space capsule, complete with a panel full of flashing lights, dials and switches that actual could fire retro rockets and everything. At least in my mind..

 

Well, to go along with my new baby sister (who was supposed to be my kid brother but that's another story of 8 yr old woe) I already had two older sisters. So my capsule became a place where I could just shut the hatch, light the fire and get away from it all. Just me and all the space I could imagine.

 

I don't know Bill being an only child or an eight year old in the 60's with three sisters. I think it would have been a toss up... 

 

But, many hours in my dogs house, I mean Fireball XL-5 (thanks Dad). In a five gallon ice cream container helmet and foil spacesuit (thanks Mom). During the age of Gemini.       My life with three sisters was bearable.