Cavorting around the room, a little boy bellows with a loud “NEIGH!” and kicks up both feet in the air before continuing his jaunty weaving between the couches and around the coffee table. His sister calmly saunters up to him and loosely drapes a blanket over his back. “ There, there. Now you are tame and ready to ride!” She hops onto his back and together  they both gallop throughout the house, neighing and whooping between giggles of laughter.

Most children are masters of imagination, entertaining themselves for hours with action figures, legos, dolls, and even  everyday objects like ropes, sticks, and blankets. I remember the myriad days of simulated war games that the  neighborhood kids hosted in the forest behind my childhood home. My guess is that you can recall your childhood  imaginations — pretending to live as a powerful superhero, a big-screen actor, an elegant dancer, a dominant sports star,  a famous singer, a confident policeman, or a dynamic preacher. The list goes on.

Read the full article here: December ’22 Issue 16