Websters Dictionary discribes it as: Mental faculty of forming images of objects not present to sences - or - the creative faculty of mind.
The thought has passed my mind that todays children may not have the use of theirs as much as children did waaaay baack in my day - and at 84 that is a fer piece.
So let me take you on a short journey to when the imagination was something we use most everyday of our lives.
Waking up gave each of us a clean slate to color, paint, express and explore just about anything. What people call 'cast off' today became something to make into our 'make believe'. When very young of course Mom used to keep me supplied with clothes she no longer wanted to wear and shoes that were no longer serviceable. These became my 'dressup' wardrobe. I am sure with being small for my age, the fit left rather a great deal to be desired, but when I put on those dresses, shoes and hats, (everyone wore hats back then) gloves and hung a battered hand bag on my small arm, I was Queen of the Hill. (As we lived in the city, there was no hill!) That being said, I would clop around making sure my shoes didn't come off, or my dress become a trip hazard. I was lovely. Looked like Mom and acted like her when she was 'all dressed up'. I went to the Theatre or out to Dinner. I visited imaginary places or friends. Well the mind was allowing me to imagine almost anything my little heart desired.
You will never know how great my house was. Oh, it was only made up of sheets that were fastened to the side of the shed and kept to shape with some rough poles, but the flap was a perfect door and the fact there were no windows, well that was not important. We gathered boxes for furniture and brought in the play dishes received for Christmas. We made a cupboard to store them. Cooking was of course all 'make believe'. I made the best things with crackers and water. The imagination made them taste 'oh, so good!'
Every Summer Vacation the house would go up, the clothes would be put in a proper place and the fun would begin. Everyday was FUN. Never got tired of playing alone, or at times with other friends that would bring over their 'special clothes'. What a blast we had.
When I grew older I imagined I was a dress designer. I had many 'paper dolls' with all their clothes, so I started making my own. Used my Crayola Box to good advantage and the things began to take shape and color. It was wonderful. No limits and I was engrossed for hours. No radio, no TV, no bike, just my imagination - what a blessing it was.
When I got even older then I believed I was very smart and could teach school. So I set up my class room with imaginary students and we discussed and had some very interesting lessons. I remember that I used one of the white painted walls as a chalk board, and wrote out my lessons very smartly. Don't remember any of the subjects, but with an imagination, who cared. It was make believe, and the sky was the limit.
Teen years were a bit harder as the War was going on and everyone was so caught up in the War Effort that we dreamed more of when it would end and we could go back to living a real life again.
I guess then dreaming became our substitute of the days we could imagine fun and experience great things by thinking them into existence. During these years, we spent more time praying and working toward a better day when family members would come home, hopefully safe and sound.
Finally when the War did end, I was old enough to start the process of looking forward to adulthood and the things that would present themselves. Of course like all girls, I began to wonder who would I marry, and how would I ever know which one would be 'Mr. Wright' for me? Once the choice was made then there were those doubts, could I be the kind of wife I wanted to be, would he be the husband I dreamed about. Of course you know that none of those dreams, questions or things really came into play once the marriage took place. Now we were into reality and everyday brought the trials and experiences that make life come fully into focus. No longer children, no longer using imagination to fill our days, there was the facts of life that had to be dealt with. Never the less, all those wonderful days of Playing and Imagining were to be remembered with such love and appreciation. They were the things that helped make the final person I had become.
Parents who loved and encouraged me to be all that I could be. Friends that helped me mold my character and reach for the best in life. Experiences that in most cases taught with little injury. The ones that were more costly taught caution and endurance. None of us pass through this life without being bumped or gratted a bit here and there. It is those things that make us good people. It is how we handle them and how we pick up and run after they have caused us to stumble, but not quite fall, if we are careful.
A husband who put up with me in so many ways I am sure he didn't expect to have to put up with. Who sustained and supported me, who gave me room to develope and grow. One who loved me in spite of myself, and kept busy with bringing into being the many ideas I had that I couldn't build myself. He would encourage me with, "we can do that". Once the idea had been formed in my mind, he would put his mind to work on it, and before long, it was a reality. We were a team in many ways beyond Husband and Wife. He expected me to be a 'lady' and it was never hard for me to meet his expectations. If he was ready to go somewhere, it only took me 10 minutes to get myself in satisfactory dress to accompany him wherever it was he wanted to go. I didn't know until years later that he was pleased that I did that. It was easy, he expected it, and I wanted to do it for him. He was always there for me, how could I fail him?
I am ever grateful that I was born when I was, that I had the time I had to grow and develope. It does sadden me to realize the War was as costly as it was, however, it was nothing that I could change, and the things I learned by being part of the History will ever be appreciated. As they say, we only pass this way once, and hopefully in my passing I have picked up some choice tid bits that have made my being here both beneficial to me and to those with whom I have come in contact with over the years.
I guess I still do 'dress up' only now the clothes I wear fit a mite better. The shoes no longer clop along as I walk. Hats, no they don't figure in the styles of today, but my hair, though white is in constant need of fixing. Pin curls are still my mode of keeping it looking like I like. Old fashioned maybe, but then it suits me, so that is all that really matters at my age. I guess I should care more, because it is others who have to look at me, but when I take that last look in the mirror before I go out, I think to myself - Jay would like that, and that is all that really counts. As you get older you find that to please the ones you love is far more important than what anyone else may think. Gone, but never forgotten - that is really what matters now isn't it?!
Eileen C. Rosenberg
21 June, 2013
