This lovely person I know here in Roanoke has a quote as the signature line to his email. It says – “Live the life you imagine.” I have seen the line on a bumper sticker or two as well. At first, I didn’t like the suggestion at all. I thought it silly, forced.
But as I am often want to do, I changed my mind.
I now like the suggestion very much. Mainly because I am good at imagining. I have long believed in the power of a tall tale, exaggerated account and the healing potential of fiction.
I turn to imaginary people and places at the end of a long day and have cried when a good novel or short story ended.
In the Woody Allen movie Purple Rose of Ciaro Mia Farrow falls in love with a fictional character played by Jeff Daniels. She says something like the following during the movie, “I met the most wonderful man. He is fictional, but you can’t have everything you want.”
If my friend’s email is right – if Mia Farrow is really on to something – then I can start making the best life, world, home, etc., for myself by imagining it.
And so, here it goes. My perfect life / world etc. has the following characteristics:
It is full of rich, smelly dirt.
It begins small, green and thin and becomes lush and strong.
It involves Compost and the use of my water barrel.
Seeds and green leaves. Sun and rain.
I imagine a life where I don’t stop at the store for dinner, but rather run out back to see what is on the vine, bush, plant or in a nearby pot that can be made into a summer meal.
I imagine summer mornings where I water, watch and listen with coffee in hand in the back yard.
And I imagine a few months where the most productive part of my day is not measured by billable hours or emails sent.
BUT RATHER IS MEASURED BY
My garden.
Beans and Tomatoes.
Peppers.
Eggplant.
Corn.
Herbs.
Potatoes.
Squash.
Cucumbers.
Maybe my garden won’t grow the way I hope or intend. It may fail entirely. At least I will have tried and at least I will start finally living the life I imagine… one back yard veggie at a time.
