Daydreams

I often find myself daydreaming. Just drifting off thinking about something else. Somewhere else. Sometimes they are thoughts of what I would like to be doing or where I would like to go. Other times they are full scale, multicolour ideas, which I know aren't real but are fascinating nevertheless.

There are so many places I have yet to go and I can often sit at work or in the car and just look out of the window and imagine another scene before me - one of another place or another time. Nature plays an important part in my real life and my daydreams. So thoughts of rolling hills, winding paths, green lush forests full of life feature a lot. What animals lurk in the hedge? Where does that path go? What will I find over that hill? Is this a land of make believe and fantastical animals or something more down to earth like a beautiful lake with swans delicately floating on the surface or a field of corn and poppies waving in the soft summer breeze?

Letting yourself go with the thoughts that enter your head is so important. I cannot imagine living a life without these times. A feeling of peace, calm and beauty which make the dull, ordinary and plain day to day life we all lead feel more manageable. Can you honestly contemplate not having the imagination to allow these ideas creep in and take over your mind for even just a few minutes? I can only feel sorry for those that cannot achieve this.

I have always had a vivid imagination. From a child building camps in the woods or under my parents giant rhododendron bushes, like a huge flowery tent. To a teenager believing that the pop star she idolised noticed her at a concert and would one day come and take her away to an exciting world. Then as an adult, I used it more as a form of escapism, to make life feel better, for a few seconds, for an hour. Time stolen from the humdrum time of day, to allow yourself just that moment to feel young and free of adult complexities and duties. Free from the shackles of work and able to explore places that don't exist anywhere other than in your imagination, or to make plans of one day visiting a new city and taking in all its newness and beauty.

With all of this in mind, why would you not want to daydream? What could be nicer than just allowing yourself some time to close your eyes, or gaze from your oh so familiar window, take some deep breaths and disappear for a while without actually leaving.

Imagination. Its free. Its yours. You may at times loose it. But, in all honestly, it never actually leaves you. You just choose to ignore it. After all, isn't daydreaming for children? Go on. Try it. You will find that soon you will be grabbing it, holding it tight ad letting it take you to wherever you want - where would you go?