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Dreamagine

Thursday, May 14, 2015

by Gabriel Francis V. Almario

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination” – A wonderful quote said by an astounding man, Albert Einstein himself. Seen from his work in the field of science, Einstein obviously had a wonderful and intelligent mind. Concocting different theorems and ideas was this man’s claim to fame. However, from his own lips he said his most known attribute, intelligence, is not just composed of knowing as some would assume, but of visualizing, imagining. Imagination is a powerful tool, as it releases ideas and dreams into reality, creating progress. I have seen the importance of imagination in my own school, Malayan High School of Science or MHSS. MHSS offers a wide variety of subjects and experiences to help a student like me imagine himself in different scenarios, helping in the process of realizing dreams and purpose. What a person dreams to be is always connected with imagination as the driving force for achieving that dream. Imagination is inspiration.

Imagination is innate in people, but its magnitude is what differs in every person. Your imagination is an identity; it is truly yours. It gives a sense of freedom as your limits are broken. In the mind you are in charge, and your goal in life can be imagined just by the simple process of thinking. That is the beauty of imagination, complexity from a simple human action. The mind is a place to be able to fully be alone with thoughts, to organize and declutter ideas, and to imagine the world of possibilities that can help you in fulfilling what you want. Simply thinking of what you want to be and creating new ideas will help in having the mindset to continuously push for that goal. Your past experiences through imagination become new and exciting ideas. Imagination can be outlandish, but to be fair, electricity was once just a confounding idea a few centuries ago, yet is now utilized in almost everything. I also had my fair share of kooky innovations as a kid, a light bulb directly powered by static of clouds, a car mechanism so efficient energy of the wheels will be converted back to power to be used, and a worldwide network of transportation as ways to connect distant countries directly. Our modern technology and society did not just emerge overnight, but it could have sprouted from individual thoughts and dreams and are now a reality.

However, sometimes there is a misconception that daydreaming unconnected thoughts is the same as imagination, but there is a crucial difference – daydreaming has no goal, imagination has direction. In MHSS, school activities directed to help this goal-oriented thinking helped me fulfill my own dreams, to learn more through the lectures, to realize hidden talents, and to be part of a community that will aid in opening your mind to all the skills you can obtain. Imagination gives the sense of “I can do this.” The confidence needed to make your dream a reality can be obtained from imagining, through new ideas and believing in yourself, to have the ability to reach a certain position. Imagination is so connected to the physical world that a phenomenon known as the placebo effect even shows that really simply thinking of what could happen makes it happen. As said by Descartes “I think, therefore I am.”

Imagination has immense power. It is the gift that keeps on giving. What does it give? Well, look at the objects around you. They were certainly once imagined. Observe the people you meet. Each and every one has a dream. Imagining that dream and maybe fulfilling it. All of this is a good sign, not just for them but for you as a person. You can use the power of imagination to make thoughts and dreams into a reality. It is not just a step to your dream; it is the constant force that pushes you to that goal. From the start of your dream to the end, imagination will be there. Such was said by Albert Einstein, “Imagination encircles the world”.