imagination> 3a: a creation of
mind; especially : an idealized or poetic creation b: fanciful or empty assumption Our imaginations are incredible things. They can be used in a positive way, such as in definition 2a, creative ability. Or they can be used in a not so incredible way such as 3b, fanciful or empty assumptions.
Most of us use our imagination to create fanciful or empty assumptions.
Let me tell you a story.
My father and mother are at my brother’s house babysitting for him and his wife so that they may get away for a few days. It’s their sixth anniversary.
Yesterday morning my father starts complaining of chest pains. Everyone tries to convince him to go to doctor but he won’t. He says he believes he has only pulled a muscle.
Well, word got to my uncle that my father was having chest pains so he tries to call him over at my brother’s house. There is something wrong with phone lines and call goes straight to voicemail, and my uncle can’t get through. The phone company has been working on this problem for about a week now.
Because my uncle could not get in touch with my father, he creates an entire horrible scenario in his imagination. He calls and calls but can’t get through. He imagines that my father has had a heart attack and that my mother is so upset that she passes out. Now children, my two nephews whom my parents are babysitting, are in house by themselves and no one is watching them. This is story he creates in his imagination. My uncle can’t sleep and stays up all night worrying. The longer he cannot get in touch with them more his imagination runs wild, and he begins to build more horrible images in his mind.
He calls my aunt, who also lives in Poconos, and tells her to get in car and drive over to my brother’s house because Carnell, my father, is probably having a heart attack and Jessie, my mother, has, more than likely, passed out. He also calls my sister and tells her this incredible story.
They continue to try calling and finally, at 4:00 a.m., my sister gets through to my parents who are awaken by phone and are now upset. You know how it is when you get a call in middle of night. It’s usually bad news, so they are nervous and anxious when phone rings.
Well, my mother reassured everyone that my father was fine and so was she. Do you see how he let his imagination get best of him? There was absolutely NOTHING to base his “story” on except fact that my father had chest pains earlier in day. Yet, from that brief explanation he created an entire scenario that, in his mind, became real.
