Talking to Volleyballs and Beyond

This post ties into my last topic (June 2), about imagination and journaling, even though I didn't plan it that way. So much the better! I credit my subconscious with much of what ends up here on my blog, anyway. :-)

Remember Tom Hanks' character in the movie "Cast Away," who was stranded alone on a deserted island? Taking on an imaginary friend (in his case it was a volleyball, animated only by his imagination) was probably the sanest thing he could have done! Refer back to my June 2 post for more about imaginary friends and how this helpful psychological tool grows with us and shows up in different forms at different stages of our lives.

If you remember the details of the movie, you'll recall one conversation in particular that Hanks' character, Chuck, had with the volleyball that saved his life. Chuck was preparing to commit suicide, when he imagined the ball (whom he named Wilson) advising him to test his method of demise first. He did so, and after the test clearly failed, Chuck had a change of heart and decided to focus on staying alive instead.

On the movie site, http://www.imdb.com/, Wilson the Volleyball is listed as a character, played by himself. :-) He even has a short bio on the site! He's also mentioned in the awards list for the film. The Broadcast Film Critics Association named him "Best Inanimate Object" for 2001, while the Teen Choice Awards recognized Wilson and Tom Hanks for their on-screen "chemistry"! MTV Movie Awards nominated Hanks and Wilson for "Best On-Screen Team."

Most of us who have had imaginary friends in some form have had ones without movie credits, but they may have served an important function in our personal lives, as they did for Chuck.

The whole concept reminds me of Gestalt Therapy (see my June 2 post), but Chuck didn't have a name for it. He just developed his relationship with Wilson in a seemingly spontaneous way that his instincts led him toward to safeguard his sanity and clarify his thinking. He even had arguments with Wilson, and complained to him about the "laxative effect" of coconut milk! :-)

Maybe your "Wilson" is your journal or what you call your Muse. In any case, never underestimate the power of the imagination. As Einstein said, it's "more important than knowledge." And Einstein did all right for himself!

Imagining the best for you,
Susan

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A Sign of Creativity That's Often Overlooked

Did you have imaginary friends as a child? If so, chances are you've grown into an intelligent, creative adult! Imaginary friends are not a prerequisite for high IQ and creativity, but they are one way that children express these traits.

We use imaginary friends to help us navigate our unfamiliar worlds: the one inside our heads and the one around us. As we get older, the friends sometimes show up as entities such as "Kitty", to whom Anne Frank wrote her journal.

I often use journaling as a way to dialogue with my subpersonalities, or "masks." It's amazingly effective! In Gestalt therapy, a similar technique is employed orally, with the client changing seats each time the speaker changes. It gets to information that we can't can't access while thinking in our everyday patterns, which is why we go into therapy in the first place!

Also as adults, we tend to pick role models that we haven't even met, and ask ourselves, "What would Oprah do?" or "What would Bill Gates do?" Writers of fiction know they've hit the mark in character development when the characters start to take on what seems like lives and minds of their own. My guess is that this is made possible by our subpersonalities, too.

The ability to imagine others and/or others' responses in given situations should be celebrated! It's a wonderful gift from the muse and from our inner healer that can serve us well throughout life!

Be well,

Susan

P.S. Whether you live around the globe or around the corner, you can email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for a complimentary trial tele-coaching session!

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

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