https://laurelinobrien.com/imagine/

A true story about yesterday when I did not have power in my home. The reaction of my child. The reaction of me. And how a mans’ Nation fits into it

Add both these pictures before my hand stopped working. I apologize one is sideways. I’m from my imagination however I did have help with the ocean. I have always had trouble with water.

We never lose power at our house because we live next to a substation. If it does go out it is only for a few minutes. Yesterday my daughter bounced through the door ;with her blonde hair whipping around her face ,and instantly tried to turn on the light. Then in dread went room to room trying to turn on lights and television. She came to me in sheer panic and claimed “mom mommy there’s no power there’s no TV my tablet’s not charged I can’t play on the computer there’s nothing to do!” Now my husband hates it when I bring this up ;but the fact of the matter is I grew up in Tennessee with no running water or electricity ,and I was just fine. I had a very small black and white TV that ran off a car battery and picked up a few stations. I was a very happy child. I will admit, I thought there were more trees in the world than people and I have not met a person of a different nationality until I moved to New York. Although when I was growing up in Tennessee we had two guys that I called my uncle’s that were two gay men. They had a kick ass color television. And I was raised colorblind and to respect all nationalities. but I was patient and kind and always could find something to do. I do not understand today’s youth. I tell my daughter to use her imagination. She tells me she does not have an imagination because she knows it’s not real. She is 6 years old. When I was six I imagined castles ,and princes ,and mermaids, and all kinds of Fantastical things. My daughter wants to do anything technological. And when I need help on the computer I asked my six-year-old and she helps me with an eye roll. Just think, our parents got to experience color television and their parents experience the radio and it goes back in back every generation gets a little more technological and a little more lazy because of it. They no longer teach cursive in school. I am going to teach my daughter to sign a real signature. That is like a fingerprint it is important. It is okay for things to change but some things need to remain the same. Some things are not meant to be forgotten. You can now choose the sex of your child the hair color the eye color it is turning into a scary world. A world of too much relaxation. Yes we have terrorism. Yes we have famine. Yes we have War. But I am speaking specifically of the westernized Nations especially America. Remind your child to go outside and play. My father taught me all of the plants outside ,so when I had to take my tree test in biology in college I got a 105 because I got the bonus tree. It was easily recognizable as witch-hazel because witch-hazel grows a bizarre fungus on it that looks like a witches hat. And I was the only student who know only knew the sassafras tree but plucked off a leaf and started munching on it. They are very tasty and you can make tea from them and pine needles. I can light a fire without lighter fluid, as long as I have Flame. I can make a tent out of a tarp and rope. I can snuggle myself under leaves with a camping bag. My father is a vegetarian so I know all of the vegetation you can eat in the wild. Actually, he’s a vegan he doesn’t eat any animal products. I however have chosen to be a carnivore as I do really love fish and I despise chicken like it is the most evil animal on the planet. I was tortured by a rooster as a child and the best meal I ever had was eating the rooster. Anyways , I digress, I apologize ;my point is the Earth has so much to teach our children. When I moved to my mother’s home un lounsberry ,she always has a garden and she taught me how to plant everything ,and how much water to give plants ,and which ones to grow with which and how to place marigolds with your tomato plants cuz they have a symbiotic relationship. I am so grateful she is teaching my daughter these gardening tools that I once learned. But I fear the world is just spinning too fast on its axis. I simply can’t keep up. My daughter learned three different ways of how to do addition and subtraction in kindergarten. Three different ways! One was with fingers. When is a diagram with three circles. And one is writing out two plus two equals four. My child is in one of the best schools in New York state, and she will receive a great education. A better one than I received. I just hope she puts it to good use. I can light a fire without lighter fluid as long as I have the flame. I can make a tent out of a tarp and ropes. I can snuggle myself under leaves with a camping bag. My father is a vegetarian so I know all of the vegetation you can eat in the wild. Actually, he’s a vegan he doesn’t eat any animal products. I However, have chosen to be a carnivore as I do really love fish and I despise chicken like it is the most evil animal on the planet. I was tortured by a rooster as a child and the best meal I ever had was eating the rooster. Anyways I digress I apologize my point is the earth has so much to teach our children. When I move to my mothers home and lounge Barry she always has a garden and she taught me how to plant everything and how much water to give plants and which ones to grow with which and how to place marigold with your tomato plants cuz they have the sim biotic relationship. I am so grateful she is taking my daughter these gardening tools that I wants learned. But I fear the world is just spinning too fast on it axis. I simply can’t keep up. My daughter learned three different ways of how to do addition and subtraction in kindergarten. 3 different ways! One was with fingers. One is a diagram with three circles. And one is writing out two plus 2 equals 4. My child is in one of the best schools in New York state and she will receive a great education. A better one than I received. I just hope she puts it to good use. I just hope she has a better life than I did ,and learn from my mistakes. Unfortunately I cannot protect her through all of the things we must go through in life growing up as a child. Socializing. Bullies. Self-esteem issues. And no to make matters worse we have this technology where they can take inappropriate pictures and send them to a boyfriend and then it’s all over the world. Things like this scare the s*** out of me. Because I was a tyrant as a teenager. I so hope she takes after her technological father and just stays home and plays on the computer and goes outside half the time. All we can do is try. It is hard for me to explain to her the way I grew up in Tennessee. She understands but she doesn’t understand why I remember my childhood being so happy. And I truly think it is a loss of some imagination. I think every generation might lose a little more. And this is something we need to instill in our schools. Don’t cut music classes. Don’t call Art Classes. Don’t cut creativity. Because your imagination only last so long. So you must ‘Gather ye rosebuds while ye may for old time is still a-flying. And that sweet bud that blooms today tomorrow will be dying.’ I believe that is by William Butler Yeats but if I’m incorrect please correct me. It is absolutely about Carpe Diem. Seize the day. And many people do not know that that bud actually represents a female’s virginity and once she loses her virginity her innocence is gone and that bud begins to die. So Carpe Diem everyone. But do it with kindness. Do it colorblind. And keep your child’s innocence for as long as possible. Help them to find their creativity within themselves. I’ll chill dhryn have an imagination. Sometimes you need to just imagine along with them. You wouldn’t believe the years it will take off your life.

Dedicated to both my parents who taught me such a love of Nature and the love of literature I am sure that is part of the reason I became an English teacher. I thank you both for producing me because I think I am pretty cool

Peace and love Laurelin

 sunflowers. They are what I say are a representation of me. If you could pick any flower in the world I would be the sunflower. Unfortunately due to global warming and climate shift at our president does not believe in I am worried my sunflowers will not open this year. We need to teach our children to protect this environment. To love it. To nurture it. For it is the greatest mother of all Mother Earth.