Fantastic Brain

FantasticImaginationLike most five-year-olds, our youngest granddaughter has a well-formed, confident  imagination. She gets lost in her own world for hours–exploring the carpet ocean on the backs of throw pillow sea turtles, creating LEGO pirate ships and Dr. Seuss-ian towers, or transforming the living room into an elaborate hospital for stuffed animals.

FantasticCreationYesterday, when I complimented her on a particularly inventive  architectural masterpiece, she peeked up from her couch cushion fort, threw up the palms of her hands and breathlessly gushed, “Thanks! My brain is fantastic when it comes up with ideas!”

As I unimaginatively swept the kitchen floor, I contrasted her response to a typical  adult’s. Most of us would have downplayed or dismissed our accomplishment. “Oh, that old thing. Thanks. It’s nothing.” Or, “I made a mistake on my gangplank. See.”

Unencumbered by the false humility or squelched confidence of groan-up-FantasticPirateShiphood, she joyfully and gratefully celebrated her fantastic brain.

Imagine the outcome if we followed our everyday accomplishments with such exuberant thankfulness.

Today, after I think a thought (particularly clever or not) or write sentence or complete a task, I plan to marvel out loud, “My brain is fantastic when it comes up with ideas!”

I can guarantee it will add a twinkle to my eyes, a smile to my lips, and a skip to my step.

And the more I appreciate my fantastic brain, the more fantastic ideas it will give me.

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