Imagination Station
My boys love to dress up, as I assume most young kids do. In our home, we have amassed a respectable collection of costumes, ready at a moment’s notice. Most of these started as early Halloween ideas, which parents know can change on a whim until Hallowed eve. Some of our costumes get worn out before trick-or-treating, as I can’t help but let them jump into the superhero or character outfits as soon as we get them. A costume possesses magic to transform kids from ordinary into extraordinary. Of the memories I cherish in life, my boys in costumes are some of the most enduring. For the short time they have them on, they embody fantasy, fun and zeal—which makes their world so idyllic. Adults rarely pretend, but kids live in a world without limits. The sense of imagination we lose with passing years is a little sad. How great would it be to have an instant escape from reality into adventure with just a little cloth and a lot of youthful imagination? I think adults could gain a renewed sense of fun by joining in these journeys with the young people in our lives. Put away politics and distractions, grab a mask, or better yet, a cape, and become anyone you want, even if only for a moment. This is something I have a hard time grasping now, but I recall how simple costumes like my cowboy outfit and badge truly made me believe I had everyone fooled into thinking I was the real deal; I often convinced myself too. Once, while riding the Heber Creeper Train in Heber Valley Utah, a group of train robbers hijacked our peaceful roll down the rails. The group galloped up on horse and jumped onto the steps. A burly man with a bandana and gun yelled at everyone to get their hands up! I believed I was the law, and I needed to do something now! That I was five years old didn’t cross my mind because, clearly, I dressed the part and these bandits would never question that.
“A child is a curly dimpled lunatic.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet
As the robber passed by me, I quietly got out of my seat, crept up behind him with my plastic pistol pointed at him. I was fearless! When I was right behind him, I yelled, “Get your hands up! You are under arrest.” Without question, the robber did exactly as I commanded. Not knowing what to do, I walked him to the door, and he got off the train, which was now stopped. Yes, everyone really did clap, and I felt like a genuine hero. Because of my costume, I jumped into action without hesitation. For years, we kept a photo of me actually holding up the robber. I had the biggest grin on my face and to this day I can see the image clearly in my mind. That photo is somewhere unknown and all I have left is an image of me outside of the train with my cousin before I saved the day. I really wish I had that photo. It is one of the few of me I actually like. I also like the innocence I had as a young and wild child and that image sums me up in that fraction of a second, frozen in time.
“Children see magic because they look for it.” — Christopher Moore, writer
Now that I am a father, I welcome my boys dressing up in costumes. I hope that they too find the escape from an ordinary life that I used to. These days, my boys must put on a construction outfit if we are building or fixing anything. If we are getting on the trampoline, spiderman makes an appearance. Years ago, I would have Catboy and Gekko from the PJ Masks running around the house making a mess as they rip the house apart in a kidnado. They have been the velociraptor from Jurassic Park and various monsters, but the costume that has stayed is Ghostbusters. Somehow, this costume is the one they love the most. The first jacket we bought for my oldest boy, he outgrew and we gave it to our youngest. Of course, the oldest needed a bigger one, and soon will be on his third edition. They wear these jackets everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Often, we get positive comments from people who see them as they hunt ghosts at a grocery store or community event. My oldest wears it to school most days of the week, all year long. Despite our instructions not to wear the Ghostbuster jacket on picture day, he did it anyway. We love it!
“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” — Fred Rogers, television personality
We can learn a lot from kids. They are meant to be seen and heard! They can teach us about wonder, awe and fun. It is something that fades like vapor as we age and that is tragic. We take life so seriously and often fear looking foolish for reasons we never seem to understand. We stand on the sideline and watch those rare people who still have the fun gene play and instead of judging them negatively, we secretly wish we had the lightness of heart they do. We want to have fun again. As adults, we dress to impress, align with others, and sometimes just conform. We worry about matching, wearing the right colors or not looking absurd. In my case, I dress to blend in and not get noticed. Maybe this constriction we feel all year explains the popularity of adult’s love for Halloween. It is the one day that Rick from accounting can completely lose himself as Captain Underpants, or your mom can embrace the role of Cruella de Vil. This day seeps into the cracks of our grownup armor, prying an opening just big enough for the kid inside to escape on this day and play.
“Every child you encounter is a divine appointment.” — Wess Stafford, President Emeritus of Compassion International
Being a kid is great, and this time scorches past us so fast that we do not even realize the fun and imagination we used to have is missing from our lives. We get caught up in politics, work or family drama and binging on television as an escape instead of living the escape and playing like kids. The sense of awe is so rare because cynicism finds more ways to crush our faith in humanity and building it back takes time, and the waves of cynicism, bitterness and lack of joy can come in spurts. This is normal for adults. Kids can transform with a costume and I wish grownups could too. I think we all should be more childlike in our fun and view of people. Kids have magic that would be great to bottle up and take with our morning fiber. Imagine how wonderful the world would be if, like kids, we could walk up to anyone and ask, “Do you want to be my friend?”
“While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about.” — Angela Schwindt, home schooling mom States
