It's fun pretending ...

As anyone who knows me can attest, I love writing for and about children.  They fascinate me.  They have such an innocent view of their world and their surroundings.  I love their unpredictable nature, their imaginations, and I especially love their passion for pretending.  It’s something that all children do so well.

Most grownups tend to think of it as playing, but stop and watch preschool children sometime as they pretend. They work hard at it as they rehearse and polish their growing skills at doing grownup things. They’re forever trying on new experiences, right along with Mommy’s or Daddy’s clothes.

Whether you're aware of it or not, we grownups still pretend. After all, isn’t that what a dream, a daydream or a fantasy is? None of those are real either, but they’re still pretending. Well, at least mine are.

Only in a dream, can I fly, soaring above the trees and looking down on friends or family. Only in a dream, can I walk through town and look down to see five, ten, or twenty-dollar bills lying on the sidewalk in plain sight just waiting for me to pick 'em up and stuff 'em in my pockets. Only in a dream, will I be chased by a hungry and angry tiger and not be able to run because my feet are like lead and they won’t move. Or worse yet, I’m able to run, but I’m running in slow motion! And only in my dreams would Tom Selleck and I -- oh never mind..

Is there anyone who hasn’t fantasized about picking the winning Powerball number? Can't you almost feel the rush when you secretly plan what you'll do with your winnings? How about that first warm and sunny day of spring? You look outside your office window and ‘see’ yourself walking in the woods, or fishing in a boat out on the lake. Or maybe in your fantasy, you’re out driving your sports car with the top down and the wind is blowing your hair ... heck, in a daydream, you can see yourself just about anywhere else but there in your stuffy office, looking out a dirty window with three hours left till quitting time. Almost everyone has daydreamed about getting a raise ... or fantasized about telling the boss where to go because you didn’t get the raise.  I think it’s safe to say then, whether in a dream, a daydream or a fantasy, even as grownups, pretend.

Hey I have to go now. My daughter just arrived with my grandsons.  To the world, I’m Grammy and I’m gonna be babysitting for a few hours.  But just between you and me, today we’re really pirates.  We’ve made plans to draw up a treasure map and they said I get to be Captain Hook this time, and that’s good!  I was gettin' pretty tired of always bein' Tinker Bell …