#26 Fantasies

Neil Pasricha

I was flipping past a reality show on TV and there was this group of dirty folks in rags stranded on some desert island. They had no food, no showers, and nothing to do except brutally fight each other to avoid getting booted off the show. In the span of a few minutes, I saw them struggle and fail to make a fire, watch their makeshift shelter collapse, and realize that for the next three days they had to survive on a coconut.

Bummer, right?

Well I thought so but the next scene showed them sitting around a cold beach talking about food. “Just think about eating a juicy burger right now,” the tired woman in a yellow bandana began. “With the grease just glistening on it, a square of thick cheddar cheese slowly melting, and crispy bacon on top.”

“Mmmm,” dirty-faced man with neck tattoos continued. “And some hot oily fries beside that. Glistening from the deep fryer… with salt sprinkled all over them … and a crisp dill pickle on the side.”

Everybody started smiling, their eyes were aglow, as their brains sent them soaring somewhere else.

The best fantasies do that.

It’s incredible how our minds can shoot us places we’ve never been before. Fantasies fill us with experiences that feel and seem real… and where anything we want to happen suddenly can. What do you want in your life right now? Who do you want to be with? Where do you dream of going to? Just close your eyes…

… and see it.

AWESOME!

Photos from: here and here

32 thoughts to “#26 Fantasies”

  2. this one is just gorgeous. and yeah, I even daydream when I’m not alone! I get that glazed look and people ask if I’m OK lol :-P

    1. I sometimes space out during the day and the students in my class like to whip out one of this year’s first vocabulary words: daze!

      “Miss Johnson, you’re in a daze!! *laughter at their own cleverness*”

    1. I would have to say the same. Daydreaming is awesome, until you find yourself doing it so much that you are not getting things you need to get done finished. Nonetheless, it is a good escape when you are stuck doing something you would rather not!

      1. True, true…

        And now… I have The Never Ending Story stuck in my head… And that hilariously terrible video clip!

  5. Wonderful post. :) Daydreaming; watching movies; reading books; writing fiction. If we couldn’t escape reality every now and again, the world would be a very dark place.

  6. Clearly, the child fantasizes those flying things are beautiful fairies and fireflies.

  8. Often when I am rattled or unsettled about almost anything, I have insomnia and I fantasize about not being such a worrier AND sleep…like now.

  9. Dreaming and imagining are so completely amazing! My childhood was primarily comprised of imagining that things were something else, pretending that we were somewhere else, fantasizing about all the things that could happen in our fun alternate world.

    I believe that the ability to fantasize and imagine is like a muscle that needs to be trained to work the way you want it to work: I see all the time children who have little to no imagination. They can’t play pretend, they can’t make things up, they can’t imagine things that aren’t concretely right in front of them.

    Then I have a hilarious little girl in my class who has a gathering of imaginary friends. It’s not because people don’t like her or want to play with her, and she knows they’re imaginary. She just likes pretending and making things up, and she is the most excellent fantasizer I know! She tells me stories all the time about the antics of her imaginary pals. FYI, they’re very worldly.

      1. I don’t have enough space in my kitchen for that. I could use it as a table to eat off of… or just open the lid and dump a bunch of stuff inside and grab a spoon.

  12. Some of the best true story movies I’ve ever seen using fantasy, a.k.a. creative visualization therapies are: House of Cards, Quest For Faith and even Drop Dead Fred. As Laura, I too have known many children who no longer display fantasy outwardly, however; may find outlet in writing, dance and other arts. Very true, working something out; much out, can be done through fantasy. If fantasy is lost, there is sadly, nothing but survival mode. Imagination is intelligence at play; cognitive play helps us thrive! The worldy little one you presently know, Laura, is likely trying to work this out with the children who are struggling in the way she feel/sees they are…bless her healing spirit, heart and soul<3

    I may seem like a crazy-wild fantasizer to some. Those who really know me, appreciate my determination and truth beknownst, I'm positively trying to make the greater good manifest! If some of the dreams never come true, at very least my soul has known peace and serenity along the way.
    p.s. this is Wendy. Word Press is rejecting me same as I read it was you yesterday, Laura, so I'm not going to take this persoanlly and am esteeming myself in your fashion, with another avatar. Thx Laura:)
    PEACE OUT!

    1. Hey, maybe it’s a very special, ultra cool near-the-final-#1 kind of celebration thing! You know, a different icon!!! I say, go with it and see how it feels to be a new pattern/color for a day! Woohooo!

  16. Turn around
    Look at what you see
    In her face
    The mirror of your dreams
    Make believe I’m everywhere
    Hidden in the lines
    Written on the pages
    Is the answer to our never ending story
    ah ah ah

    Reach the stars
    Fly a fantasy
    Dream a dream
    And what you see will be
    Rhymes that keep their secrets
    Will unfold behind the clouds
    And there upon a rainbow
    Is the answer to our never ending story
    ah ah ah

    Show no fear
    For she may fade away
    In your hand
    The birth of a new day
    Rhymes that keep their secrets
    Will unfold behind the clouds
    And there upon a rainbow
    Is the answer to our Never ending story…
    ah ah ah
    Never ending story…
    ah ah ah
    Never ending story.

  18. I daydream ever day and it helps me reflect on what is going on in my day. In business we take life to serious and do not take the necessary time to just reflect on just what is going on in our day to day. – Debbie

  19. Ahh fantasy .. Truly awesome .. My all time favourite fantasy is time travel . I imagine myself going back in time and finding out various mysteries . My favourite ones are seeing Julius Caesar , finding out who Jack the Ripper is , see the titanic ship . It is a long and strange list :)

    Awesome post ! :)

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