Imagine the Possible

Imagine the possible! Imagination! What a gift. All great and wonderful things begin with an idea, an imagined thought, or a flood of passion that brings us to our knees and we imagine what could be done, what we could do and we ask the question, what can I do to be the hands and feet of God, the ears and eyes of the Jesus Christ, and the voice of the Holy Spirit? Imagine what is possible.

From time to time I listen to a radio station that plays songs from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. While driving one day, I heard the song by Clint Holmes’ a onetime hit single, “Playground in my Mind.” I couldn’t believe it, I knew the song. I hadn’t sung that song in maybe 35 years or more, but I remembered the song and I remembered why I enjoyed it. I am drawn to that song because I was that child on the playground, the one who played innocently and cooperatively on that playground – the one that brought comfort to the singer. I was living the love. I was laughing and I was playing. I was the escape from a sad and lonely world and the child who knew no other way, but the way of love and innocence. Likewise, I can also imagine that there are many, many people who feel that the world has let him down and I suspect that the writer of this playful, yet prophetic song from the 70's captures the complexity of our world and our experiences. Let's look at some of the lyrics:

When this old world gets me down

And there’s no love to be found

I close my eyes and soon I find

I’m in a playground in my mind

Where the children laugh and the children play

And we sing a song all day.

Imagine what is possible. The gay teen-ager is bullied, beaten and feeling the world has let him down. Where’s the love? Imagine what is possible. A high functioning autistic young man asks a friend to his senior prom and just a day or so before he would pick his date up, she calls and tells him she won’t be attending prom this year. This old world gets him down. Where’s the love? Imagine what is possible. She’s overweight, living with an alcoholic mother who in her drunken state reminds the obese child that she is worthless and that no man would ever want to marry her and she feels that the world has let her down. Where’s the love? Imagine what is possible. When such mean and hateful things happen to God’s children, why wouldn’t we close our eyes and visit that playground in our minds? Why wouldn’t we want to visit that park where there are no sad faces, no hateful words, and no fighting – just smiles and laughter, free spirits, and cooperation. Oh the wonders that we find in the playground in our minds.

As I babble on about imagination and the possibilities, I am reminded of the still speaking God who is calling upon all creation to be God's hands and feet and to imagine a playground fit for all God's children. Perhaps the children on the playground are our prophets and teachers today? I wonder? Ba, ba, ba, ba! La! La! La! Imagine the possible!

You may say that I’m a dreamer – but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one.

Imagine, John Lennon