“In the world of words, the imagination is one of the forces of nature” (Wallace Stevens).
Without imagination, creativity would be nothing but a mere shadow… a shadow without meaning. Yet, we know with each shadow that is cast comes ideas that are spawned out of the shadows themselves. Each shape draws attention as one envisions similarities and differences from one shadow to the next or within each shadow itself. Imagination brings the dark shadows out of the darkness as they dance naked in the moonlight.
Much like the shadow, the details of a silhouette are not seen, only imagined as its shape becomes absorbed in creative motions. A winter tree’s naked branches form a silhouette against the backdrop of moonlight piercing the haziness of a cloudy sky. Should the wind start blowing the branches will surely sway in a rhythmic motion to the music of the night. A gull in flight enhances the view with its own silhouette whose wings appear dipped in silver.
The dance of the shadow and the pose of the silhouette each strike the tip of imagination creating the light for the patterns of beauty to be seen inside and out.
We have all more than likely heard about the Nobel Prize, whether in school or reported via news media. Do you know how it all got started, by whom and for what reason?
Sharla Shults‘s insight:
Very interesting story behind the founder of the Nobel Prizes. See @awakenings!
On any given day, inspiration is gathered from a multitude of sources. Sometimes it is simply a matter of letting imagination run wild. Like stepping back in time to days of innocence, practical jokes, and of course, stupid things experienced as a kid that ignite memory after memory. After all, we were super-powers! Playing hard (outside nonetheless!), improvising, laughing often and getting hugged every time we skinned our knees. Imagination, that’s the name of the game.
Then, there is Mother Nature. Driving forces of the randomness and spontaneity of nature result in breath-taking changes…we just must be patient but always on the alert. Winter ice melting in the warmth of noonday sun, a wisp of wind whispering softly or raindrops pounding on a tin roof ignite different sensations. A tree appears dead but by looking close enough specks of new life emerge on its once seemingly naked limbs. There is a sense of magic about nature making even dead things come to life.
Ever been jolted by the sights and sounds of a shopping mall? Step into any one of the many shops, stop, look, listen for anything that might appear new, something perhaps that has been there all along but gone completely unnoticed…until now! The malls of the 21st century go far beyond a few department stores. Ride the carousel. Step back in time. How surprising one would pay someone a nickel to ride a wooden horse in circles all day! If only the busy buzzing sounds could be wrapped in a bundle to be released later. Yet, if it were too quiet, think of all the inspiration that would be missed.
There is something to be said about time alone on one hand – solitude, and being with friends – companionship on the other. Each have ways of inspiring thoughts, attitudes and deeds. Solitude brings on relaxation, a time for the mind to rest. Companionship invites sharing, bringing into the open old and new ideas. A lot can be learned from the natural quietness of solitude, as well as the open sharing of companionship.
Lastly, there is adventure…going where you’ve never been before, doing that which you have never done, at least trying anyway! You may win, you may lose, you may feel happy, you may feel despair. The excitement alone gets adrenaline pumping! Doing the same-o same-o day in and day out can become monotonous causing thought processes to become stale and stagnant. Aren’t you hungry? Feed yourself outside the life of daily routines…digest new ideas through creative adventure!
How many times have you been engrossed in a conversation to find yourself at some point totally somewhere else, in your mind anyway? What made you completely lose interest leaving only a blank stare on your face as you try to recover? The only thought remaining – what is this person talking about? Now, I ask you, is this feeling of being lost limited to only the spoken word?
Flip the coin.
How many times have you been engrossed in a book offering a great plot, exciting characters, vivid imagery, only to STOP before reading it in its entirety? Perhaps you were at the beginning, maybe into the most exciting part, perhaps even near the end, but you still STOPPED reading. WHY?
There is a ton of power in the spoken and the written word. Both have the power to paint the most vivid picture, the purest essence of abiding love or the most morbid replication of horror. Word choice can make or break a scene but that is not where it stops. Within the verbal word, we are able to evoke emotion simply by a change in the pitch or tone of our voices.
But what determines the voice of the written word?
Ah-h-h! It is not only the word choice but the nature of the grammar incorporated. Yes, the exclamation mark does make a difference! And, the comma, the period, the question mark and of course, correct spelling. Without the correctness in presentation, concentration is broken, which results in rereading, rereading, rereading to the point of total loss of interest.
Bottom line…
Remember to edit. Find someone else to edit. Have that someone else find someone else to edit. Never leave your writing riddled with outrageous errors or wording that requires a thesaurus to understand. After all, your objective is to entertain, not frustrate!
It was sunny, clear to partly cloudy skies, no different than most any other day with a calmness that rests on a Sunday. The view looking upward resembled a pastel canvas with patches of white scattered about reflective of someone dropping a paintbrush. Unbeknownst to the early risers or those still sleeping in their beds, the brightness of the morning was soon to be reduced to ashes of grey.
Sharla Shults‘s insight:
Remember Pearl Harbor! Embrace the past, empower the present to enrich the future of America!
While World War II is raging across the sea, calmness engulfs the United States of America. It is the year 1941, December 6 to be exact and it is Saturday. This day appears to be not much different than any preceding Saturday evening. In fact, it is an ordinary night for the thousands of sailors and soldiers stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Pearl Harbor is the naval base of the United States Pacific fleet located on Oahu, an island offering its inhabitants bountiful pleasures wrapped in impeccable beauty.
Sharla Shults‘s insight:
What happened next becomes a decisive pivotal point in history shifting the tides of the war. Return tomorrow for the rest of the story!
Each of us faces challenges on a daily basis in our own way, sometimes in the midst of others, sometimes alone. A challenge can be dubbed the music of life, simple, hard, gentle, harsh, loving, painful, out of sync, melodic, even poetic. With challenge comes the willingness to try and the courage to accept the outcome. May the will to accept each challenge be a contagious spirit inspiring us to be the best we can be, setting an example for others as an essential part of life.
catnipoflife 