“Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-gumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.”― Shel Silverstein
I’m constantly bugging my kids to reduce their screen time (TV, iPod, iPhone, computer, Xbox, iPad). I hope your parents are dong the same. Why, you ask?
When we’re sitting in front of most screens, our brains absorb existing visuals rather than creating them. Imagine instead propping up on a pillow and sipping lemonade from a licorice straw while reading the latest, greatest tome to take the young adult world by storm. In this scenario, our brains embark on their own “virtual” doodling. Your magnificent noggin starts creating colorful, elaborately detailed mind movies from scratch. Wow!
Look at it this way. Your brain is designed to create. So take it on a field trip, away from the hypnotic, ready-made offerings of YouTube and instead wrap your sun-tanned hands around a book. Or a pencil, crayon, or marker. Create something from nothing. Whether you’re sketching America’s next villian-conquering superhero, scribbling out song lyrics in a tattered spiral notebook, or delving deep into a character’s inner being, let your brain go bonkers with imagination.
Like we’ve heard a zillion times, it is far better to give than to receive. Give yourself over to the incomparable powers of your own imagination.
Last week, our family traveled to Walt Disney World, a theme park rooted in one man’s boundless imagination. In between heart-racing rides and cheesing with Mickey and Minnie, I finished up several entertaining books. This week, I’ll begin If I Stay by Gayle Forman, which targets upper-level middle schoolers (like Fault in Our Stars). Join me for this soul-stirring tale of an aspiring musician’s life-altering tragedy. When a car accident leaves her orphaned and comatose, this teen must choose between following the light or her heart. Meet me on the other side and let’s trade comments about this New York Times bestseller (and soon-to-be summer blockbuster).
These are the books Mrs. Rombach read this past week. Click on the cover to view a book trailer. What book are you reading now?
Sonnenblick expertly crafts a riveting story of a young cancer survivor’s lifelong struggles. Loved this book! Photo Credit: Scholastic.com
Flinn delivers an easy-to-read contemporary fairy tale bubbling with ample portions of regular-guy heroics, magic, adventure, royalty, and witches. Photo Credit: GoodReads.com
A word collector and stutterer, Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything. First, she’ll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that’s been cast over the town . . . and her mother’s broken heart. Summary and Photo Credit: GoodReads.com
Imagine all the wonders still awaiting you this summer. Unlock the creativity in that amazing thinker of yours. 🙂
Mrs. Rombach