Imagination

Today, or I suppose in truth yesterday I turned 50. To say the least it was a crappy day, let alone Birthday. I spent weeks, countless man hours on my perfect Halloween costume, only to get nothing in the local Halloween costume Contest! My child of nine years, was not pleased with me. for two reasons. One being she called from school wanting me to come down for a "Surprise" at her school. It was 15 minutes from her catching the bus for home, and it took me 20 minutes to drive into town. I said no. But worse yet, her school sent home a note stating that they did not want to have any of the children in costumes. Their reason being that it took time away from their studies, and they did not want to be responsible for getting the younger ones in and out of their little outfits. I would imagine it does. But these are our children, and letting them display their imagination is a big one in my book. So, being the artist and Halloween costume nut in the family I thought, "Light Bulb!" Face painting! Did I mention I am a painter, artist and Halloween nut? So I thought ok, a Zebra would be cool! She could wear her little Zebra print dress, and I could do a little "paint job" on her . . .Alright, maybe I did get a little carried away, and maybe she could of been on "Wild Kingdom". But she wasn't in actual costume, anyway to make a long story shorter, they made her wash off all my beautiful art work! I thought how rude. She was very sad, and upset, because that was the first time she had ever been called into the principle's office. She was mad at me because it was initially my idea. I suppose I could call her school and make a fit about it. I'm not, yet. But what worries me is this, we want to educate our children, we want the make this country better. I guess what I am trying to explain is, you can teach them all the math and language skills you want, but without encouraging, pushing, expanding their imagination by whatever means possible, you won't accomplish this! As for my daughter, I'm not too worried. I am her mother and I am after all half a century old now, and I still have imagination, and as my mother states oh so very often, "You well never grow up!" It wasn't meant as a compliment, and I am sure it is probably true . . .and I'm glad. Because, no matter how crappy my day or Birthday might seem to be, I have imagination. And that is what allows me to see life for its possibilities, and see the world as it could be. That is what I hope to teach my child. As for not winning the costume contest, its ok, I liked it! I was a "Haunted Tree"!