Childish Imagination
by Luke Seegmiller

Reading A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett recently reminded me of this difficult time in my life and how I coped. The story is about little Sara Crewe who's father dies leaving her penniless and at the mercy of a ruthless boarding school master, Miss Minchin.  In addition to the loss of her beloved father, she goes from riches to rages in the matter of a few short moments. The star pupil became the lowest servant. Sara coped by using her imagination. She was a princess. To her, life was a fascinating story where her actions were as noble as any she ever read.

At the terrible time in my life when I mourned with my sister, I often felt as if I were in a great story. I could hear the sound track in the background as I went about in my daily teenage life. I was the noble hero of the story and did my best to act the part. I felt comfort knowing that every good hero or heroine must face the most difficult challenges and only when they face them well is a good story written.  My sister now stands as a pillar of strength having lived through a dark, difficult, and yet triumphant time. A vivid imagination and a sense of the story like nature of life saw me through this challenge: the conflict, climax, and resolution of one of my life's stories.  

I believe that our lives are great, long, and intricate stories. I don't know how much choice we have in making the story a tragedy, romance, or adventure, but I believe that we can make our lives good stories where actions and desires are as noble as any protagonist ever brought to life through pen and ink.

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