Seth's Imagination


Mickey Mouse March...Yarden's Favorite Tune

 
Once upon a time there was a boy named Seth. You would like him a lot, because he is pretty amazing. Seth likes playing with other kids, and wrestling with his cat named Suchit. He likes making funny faces so that everybody laughs. He likes cooking and watching dolphins, and he likes pretending he's a daddy who has a brand new baby--a baby just like himself, except very tiny. 

Of course Seth likes to do lots of other things, too…like make up stories. See, Seth thinks that stories are the best way to feel better when things aren't going the way he wished that they would. Sometimes he gets lonely, like when it's time to go to bed. Sometimes he gets frustrated, like when Mommy spends time playing with his little sister Naomi. Sometimes he gets scared, like when he's in the hospital and he has to have special tests.  And sometimes he gets just plain bored, like when there's nothing fun to do. Lucky for Seth that he has magic powers. And guess what. You do, too. Listen carefully, and Seth will teach you about a good way to use them. 

"First use your magic powers to make your body real loose. Loose like a bowl of jello, or loose like an old stuffed dog. Here's how to do it. Take very, very slow breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, and with every single breath, feel your body getting more and more and even more relaxed, until it almost feels like you're floating on a cloud. Now shake your hands and count to five. Don't they feel tingly? Next stretch your arms way up to the sky while you take a giant breath, a giant breath of bright blue sky. Fill yourself up with this clean, fresh air. Now pretend your fingers are bringing  some spray from the waves back down to your tummy, and while your fingers come back down from the sky, gently blow out the air that you saved inside your lungs. Doesn't the spray feel good? It feels good to me because it tickles my tummy and reminds me that I can use my magic powers to go wherever I want to go, and to be whatever I want to be.

N ow it's time to close your eyes very gently and pretend that you're on the beach. Can you feel the sun? It's very warm, and it makes me feel comfy. Not too hot. Not too cold. In fact, just about perfect. Now as you lie down in the sand with your toes in the water, feel the tiny little waves touch your feet, and then watch them go back into the ocean. The water feels so cool to my skin.  Smell the air, too, and remember your very favorite time at the beach. Sometimes smells are good ways to remember special times.  Eyes are, too. Can you see a picture of a sailboat in your mind? It's out there in the ocean, and the waves make it bob up and down in the water. Imagine that this boat is a bright shiny green color, with big white sails. It's so much fun pretending, isn't it? 
 

While you still have your eyes closed, make believe that right in front of you there is a big box of crayons. Crayons with brand new pointy tops and lots of bright colors.  Choose your very favorite color, and use your magic to draw  a daydream. One time I drew a purple snake in some tall grass. He was a silly snake, because I made him with a great big smile and long black eyelashes. I pretended that he was rolling around in the grass, which is one of my very favorite things to do! I drew the snake when I was lonely in bed one night, and guess what? I wasn't lonely anymore. The snake and I went on a great adventure. Wherever he wanted to go, well, I just drew the picture for him, and away we went, just the two of us. He needed me, and I needed him."

Yarden's snakes!

So that's that. Amazing, isn't it? I hope that you'll tell me what sort of daydreams you draw for yourself. And I hope you'll discover that you can help to make everything almost all right, just by using your mind in this magic way.
 


Joan Fleitas, Ed.D., R.N.
Associate Professor of Nursing, Lehman College, CUNY
Bronx, New York 10468

Last updated: March 8, 2005