Recently I was reminded of an era I dub as “B.T.” - Before Television. At home after school most B.T. children enjoyed a snack in a quiet house. Later, a period of boredom often set in. Lying on the living room rug, a child might wonder what to do. His heart beat slowed to the rhythm of the wall clock. Tick, tock, tick, tock…his mind wandered. Suddenly seizing upon an idea, off he would go on an imagined adventure!
I remember those days when there was plenty of time for the imagination. A special teacher of mine later named these seemingly vacuous moments as "lag time” - suspended time when fruitful thought can develop.
Lag time is "doing nothing." In today’s frenzied world the notion of lag time is revolutionary, even suspect.
Most Americans suffer from lack of time to develop the fruit of their creative potential.
This is even true among very young children, most of whom have never experienced the "lazy days of summer." Dragged from place to place, weary and irritable, many young children experience withdrawal symptoms in the absence of external stimulation.
Somewhere along the American way of progress, we planned-away the imagination, the soulful, and the spontaneous. The technological advancements marketed as conveniences have enslaved us in a frenzy of work, commuting, shopping, and addictive games and videos, and the Blackberry which makes it possible to receive emails 24-7.
Yet, a person or a family can recapture some of the quietude and beauty that restores the mind, body and soul. It just takes a little re-training: practice turning off the television, Crackberry, or computer for brief periods; remove clutter from rooms. Recycle it and don’t replace it with something else; cultivate air filtering plants in your home. Hang a bird feeder outside your window; practice sitting and doing nothing for 15 minutes. Breathe deeply. Smile. Notice the hange in how you feel (you may also notice you are bone-weary- take a nap); invite the kids to join you. Just be together in the silence.
That's about it. Just incorporate this into your life and your children's lives. Don't get caught up in making a “fabulous space”. Just keep it simple. Your “space” could be just a hammock or a chaise lounge. What you will have is fertile ground for the imagination. There’s no telling what might happen!
Resources for Parents:
Last Child Left in the Woods by Richard Louv Algonquin Books, 2005
Richard Louv’s book shows parents why reconnecting children with nature is in everyone’s best interest.
Resources for Adults:
Coming to Our Senses by Jon Kabot-Zinn Hyperion, 2005
Reading this book will add years to your life!
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