Will’s Thoughts – The Importance Of Imagination.
Imagination is our most important national resource. One of my children once asked me what the most important thing taught in school is. My response? “Well, I guess that’s learning how to read. For, I reckon that if you learn to read you can learn to do about anything.” Yep, I think the ability to understand the printed word’s the only thing of any real value that’s taught in the primary grades. Reading allows people to travel through time portals to explore all of human history and marvelous, incredulous worlds whose realities are bound only by the limits of imagination. Worlds where spectacular beauty, terrifying events and horrifying creatures await. But, while reading’s the most important thing that we’ll ever learn in school, imagining’s the most important thing that we’ll ever learn to in life.
Imagination is our nation’s most valuable resource. It’s the foundation of all industry, for from its vision comes opportunity and hope. Every job that there is and every tool that’s used to do it is the direct result of someone’s imagination. It’s the well from which dreams are drawn; the field in which ideas ripen and; the machine that moves humanity forward. Every year our governments spend billions of dollars to encourage people to learn a trade or to get a degree, but how much is spent to inspire people to imagine? Almost zero.
But, I reckon that there ain’t nothing more important to the future of the entire world than encouraging imagination. Perhaps instead of wasting years of our children’s lives teaching them about what was done long ago, we need to re-direct their focus to the present and future. Every future medicine, machine and marvel to come are in their minds. Yet instead of fostering the use of their imagination, we inhibit it. Not only do we discourage free thought in schools, there awaits any number of other distractions to occupy children’s minds in other areas of their lives. Cell phones, video games and computers have become social norms. We now provide everything our kids need to live comfortably, knowing full well that when people cease to need, they cease to imagine.
You see, necessity’s the mother of invention. Comfort’s the father of failure. As North Americans transformed themselves from being prolific producers into self-indulgent consumers, they mistakenly let the importance of using their imaginations be swept aside. The end result was the loss of millions of new products and services and many, many millions of new jobs. As I said above, imagination’s our nation’s most valuable resource. The future of humanity depends upon it. Therefore ‘imagination’ has become a conversation that we desperately need to have and its worth finally needs to be recognized.
We need to get our kids to put down toys and games and to pick up books and pens. We must let them know how important it is to dream and how critical the use of their imagination is to their future. Parents, shut off those computers and games, grab your kids and go to a library. Yes, it’s important to encourage participation in art, sports and activities, but remember that the most important thing for you to encourage is their imagination.
Will’s thoughts prove that everybody has opinions, but he has way more than he should. From dogs that won’t stop barking, to the antics of his spouse, ‘Crazy Lady’, Will’s Thoughts will make you smile.
