Never underestimate the power of the imagination, says Jo Buchanan. It has a way of becoming reality.

Imagination has been around for as long as humankind, responsible for fairy tales, beautiful music, art, literature and thousands of inspirational inventions.

The tallest building in the world and the most magnificent pharaoh’s palace began with imagination, somebody’s dream, even though science and logistics were required later, to manifest it physically. Hopes and dreams are what keep many of us going. ‘Dare to dream!’ they say, ‘Follow your dream!’.

The wonderful world of the imagination is a very real parallel universe for many children. When I was a child I had an invisible playmate called Hopalong. Maybe the name came about through the Hopalong Cassidy comics. Maybe it was a result of my desire to have a pet kangaroo. I don’t remember.

Luckily, I had parents who encouraged Hopalong and, when required, Mum would set a place for him at the dinner table. At night he was always included in my prayers along with God bless Mummy, God bless Daddy.

I believe that encouraging children to use their imagination provides them with a mental skill that serves them well when they begin school and are confronted with the task of writing creative stories, poetry and art work.

Exercising the imagination is like exercising muscles in order to excel at athletics. The more easily a child can imagine, the more effortless the exercise. If a child is criticised for his imagination, he may in turn eventually become his own worst critic, relinquishing the gift of creative thought altogether.

Encouraging children to visualise passing an exam or bypassing their logical minds to imagine a special painting for an art competition can bring about positive results, especially in the area of a child’s self esteem.

Sportsmen use the tool of imagination to visualise victory in an upcoming match. Actors, when attending auditions, visualise themselves landing the coveted role. Imagining/visualising can also bring about dramatic changes in health.

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There's something very beautiful and deeply personal about a journal. Especially one crafted from handmade paper with all the telltale wisps of fibre ingrained in each page. I've just come across one such delightful book, complete with a cover that evokes the natural world - leaves, tiny flowers, unfolding buds and little pieces of wood all set into a background of tiny blue and brown pebbles and slivers of mirror to reflect the sky - and my lingering smile as I leaf through it.

I've found it while unpacking endless boxes in our new home and, after overlooking it for at least a year or two, now I experience again the burst of joy I felt on first seeing it. Something so lovely and made with such attention to detail deserves only positive thoughts. So I've set it aside as my gratitude journal.

In these days of such widespread discontent, maybe we'd all benefit from focusing on the good things in our lives. It's been a long time since I've sensed so much unhappiness in people and society at large - we can't escape the political landscape that breeds such cynicism or international events that invariably highlight the worst because that's the nature of news. Unless we escape completely from the 24/7 news cycle and retreat from the world, which really helps no one. But what we can do is see the best in the world and the kindness of most people who are just itching to be able to show it.

People like our new neighbour who welcomed us to the community with a freshly baked loaf of absolutely delicious bread. Or the solicitous internet service provider who called personally several times to make sure we'd got our connection. iinet, you do that well!

The furniture delivery men who literally hauled heavy pieces over the balcony! It was amazing to see. The locals in shops, restaurants and our street who genuinely seem delighted to have us as a new family in their midst. It's an innate friendliness we are in danger of losing in big city and cyberspace disconnection, but it's still there and we all gain so much when we reach out to connect face to face, smile to smile.

I spend as much time as anyone in front of a computer or an iPad, but I've woken up to the realisation that beauty and happiness happen beyond the screen...

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by Nova Editor
Margaret Evans