D is for Daydreaming
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I was stuck for a topic for “D” when my sister suggested D for daydreaming.
I looked up information about daydreaming – people are mostly supportive of it but they weren’t always. I remember being scolded a lot by adults about daydreaming or even appearing to be distracted.
James Thurber is a favorite of mine and his Secret Life of Walter Mitty is my second* favorite story of his. Mitty is a loser who constantly disappoints his wife: he drives too fast, he can’t put chains on his car, and he forgets the grocery list. Still, and all, he’s a fun loser. I wonder, if he would share some of his inner life with his wife, would she be more accepting of him. Maybe he’s tried.
Chuck Jones made a couple of cartoons with a child Mitty which were just as hilarious and his teacher was more long-suffering than annoyed with him. Unlike Mitty, the boy got to go in space and have lots of more action-packed adventures. (Note: if anyone knows the names of these cartoons, please let me know.)
I read a bit about daydreaming and it is seen as somewhat beneficial now. Bet you that wool-gatherers are still scolded regularly.
While I was pondering how to go about describing how much fun daydreaming was, I realized something. I was hardly ever daydreaming. The most I might do is run through my day’s plans to make sure I have everything I need before I leave for work.
And I think it must the suggestion but I’ve been daydreaming a lot lately. I’ve been remembering great parties, imagining my future, and traveling in fantasy lands. Best of all is having conversations with fictional characters.
I figure that when they aren’t busy with their official lives, my favorite characters like Aerin or Sookie** or Chuck would want to sit down and chat with me. Of course they would.
Sometimes I complain about a bad day and they nod sympathetically or I “tell” them about this great movie I just saw, and they usually agree that they liked it too.
Mostly though, they serve as a sounding board while I’m working out various philosophical questions. For example, “how are horror movies valuable to society” or “in this situation, how much do I owe myself and how much do I owe the other person.” They very helpfully take the opposing side and help me sort it out.
*my all-time favorite James Thurber story is The Night the Bed Fell.
**Kat pointed out that Sookie reads minds so I wouldn’t have to do much talking.
Related articles
- Why Daydreamers May Become Visionaries (eideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com)
- Daydreaming -> Creative Work (sebastianmarshall.com)
- Quote Garden
- Webmed
