Clap Your Hands

Ah yes......here we go with the perpetual question of this time of year , "Do you believe in ---------------", and you can fill in the blank with any particular character of choice, biblical or otherwise. I've been watching the argument between two acquaintances (Facebook, the world is at your kitchen table) about good old Santa and the pros and cons of having your child/ren believe in that generational hoax; because that's pretty much what it is if you want to get technical; and so far there is a two way tie.

Apart from the whole 'bad/good' underlying judgement on the above, let's just think about 'believing' in of itself.

My Webster's Dictionary (does anyone still actually use a dictionary anymore?) defines believe as:

"1. to take as true, real etc., 2. to have confidence in a statement or promise of, 3. to suppose, assume"

Ok, that's pretty clear. But what is it - that 'thing' that makes believing, for lack of a better word, 'work'?

Isn't it imagination?

That oh so unfathomable place our mind goes to whenever we dream or think of what may be or even create.

And when we are young we seem to have it in spades and we can believe in a funny fat old man bringing us our heart's desire all in one night. I remember when little, I used to believe that if I loved my treasured stuffed monkey toy enough it would come alive. And that's pretty much stretching the envelope of concievability right there but I did. (and no, 'Chimpy' didn't, more's the pity)

AnyIdohaveapointway, aren't most of our beliefs pretty much nebulous in the realm of true/real? From the reading I've done over the years about Science (and there's a 'grounded-in-reality' topic) a lot of what we 'believed' as true has proven out not to be so. But all that aside, I guess what I'm saying is that without imagination we would be a sorry lot. Who cares if 'it' (whatever your 'it' is) can't be proved, just the fact that you can dream/ponder/create this scenario in your world is a wondrous thing.

I am entranced when I paint because I am making real the believed vision in my mind.....what a joy.

So dream on oh beloved reader - imagine the world and create your vision.

And I hope Santa visits you still. 

The painting - Sadly, I could find no attribute to the accompanying pic and enlarging the image only made the writing blurrier. (something something dot com???) But it is just astoundingly right on for expression and feeling, maudlin as it is. Oh, and "Clap Your Hands" refers to Peter Pan and when Tinkerbell almost died and you had to 'clap your hands' to prove you believed in faries to keep her alive. You betcha I clapped...I still do.