Everyday Intensity: Day 11: Our Precious Imagination

I'm catching up...life's been intense lately (ha!). I agree with everything everyone has said in the comments for the day so far...this is definitely my favorite post as well (so far, anyway).

It would seem that among those participating in this project, I've seen evidence that some are or maybe were teachers. I think that people who are archetypally "teachers" can relate especially to such creative intensity. I believe it takes someone who can digest information and represent it with some flair, as well as comprehension, to engage learners.

My first "teaching" experience was age 7, when I helped a fellow classmate learn to read. I made a career of teaching people to use computers as an adult. I was always astounded when people would comment on my patience and ability to relay the information in ways they had never understood. I always loved seeing the 'lightbulbs' when people would understand. It didn't take long to realize that people learned by different means-some visually, some auditory, some just by doing. I believe the secret was to reach people how THEY needed to be reached, not how I wanted to teach them. I don't teach much these days, at least not in a formal manner. Somedays I miss it. But maybe they are just dark days when I really could use a lightbulb. :)

In Day 11 of the July Intensity Project, Lisa mentioned Michael Piechowski's work on Dabrowski’s theories “Mellow Out” They Say: If I Only Could: Intensities and Sensitivities of the Young and Bright," with exerpts of imagination manifestation that include "need for novelty and variety."

If I had only understood, say 30 years ago, that intensity (aka gifted, as you've pointed out to me-but thats never a term I would have deem myself worthy) was behind the need for novelty and variety--all those career experiences in my 20s would've made MUCH more sense! Maybe I wouldn't have been so hard on myself for the adventure!

Imaginary companions and dramatization, these have most recently become an obvious need to me. They were a part of my childhood, called upon when no one else was around for entertainment. I only this year have been greatly rewarded by allowing myself to "go there," dreaming, imagining, and writing about those other worlds, as well as the interesting (at least to me) people who live more intriguing lives, with more engaging things to say and do. I appreciate this more than I could have ever imagined possible. Every day I get to write, is a day I experience joy.

I only hope that someday there will be even more reward for those adventures--that I might be allowed to live THERE more often, and remove myself from this existence that suffers the bills, the schedules, the shopping (which I hate), the car repairs (or need thereof), the people who will never "get" me, etc.