When I was a child, I had many dreams, which ranged from exploring space in a rocket ship to drawing comics that were published in newspapers all across the United States and even the world. I dreamed that I would walk across the United States, starting at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and ending at the shores of the Pacific Ocean. In my dreams, I walked on giant maps that helped get me from town to town faster. Sometimes, in my dreams, I walked on highways that had magically become car-free. Even at an early age, I knew that the best exploration was done within touching distance of the places that you could only dream of visiting. I also knew that every dream I had was about story telling. I wanted to tell my stories to as many people as possible, either verbally or through a novel I would write and illustrate. I have always believed that the magic of imagination is best when it’s shared.
My dreams were bigger than I was, which didn’t take much because I was very tiny.
I still dream but my dreams became smaller as my body grew bigger. I no longer can see myself exploring the universe in a rocket ship or walking across enormous maps. Reality invaded my dreams. The rocket ship could run out of fuel and the maps could get soaked with rainwater and fall apart. Thinking about my ever shrinking dreams made me feel sad. Why had my dreams become so little? And then, I realized that the world of small things held as much power to bring my imagination to life as did the big world of my imagination. I became fascinated by plants and by insects. Bees and butterflies and dragonflies and those noisy cicadas had become the stuff of my dreams. What If I could become so small that I could look directly in the eyes of the fearsome hornets?
If I could imagine myself looking directly in the eyes of the fearsome hornets, I could write their stories. I could draw their stories. I could let my imagination loose as I explored the insect world and the plant world.
My dreams have changed, but my sense of wonder remains intact. It’s unlikely that I will view the universe from a rocket ship, but I can draw a picture of a bear climbing a ladder to the moon. And I could share that bear’s story. If only I know where the story was going…
Let’s see what the bear does next. Bearnacle is learning about boats and is getting ready for a huge adventure….
I loved your movement from large to small and then celebrating small. A delightful piece!
Thank you so much, Larada!
I really liked the way you wove dreaming and storytelling together. It reminds me how stories help us listen to ourselves more closely.
Thank you so much, Florence!!