What If...

What if…this month’s mantra has had me daydreaming more than usual. Perhaps this is as much a result of this past year when we were forced to use our imaginations, memories, and anything else to help us to see life beyond the four walls of our own homes. 

Whatever the reason, for me these two words always signal the possibility of what could be. It is a prompt I use when writing to help stimulate some part of my creative process. It is what I say to my son when I try to get him to consider the possible, the potential. I suppose these two words could also serve as a prompt to imagine all the possible disasters of the unknown. But, after the past year, I can’t imagine a more dystopic future, although I know that is feasible. 

Instead of imagining the worst, what if we considered all of the good and positive in our world, even if the past year showed us how vulnerable we were in the face of the unknown and unspeakable. 

As I let my imagination roam using What if, I picture my life in Paris. My days are spent working quietly in the mornings and then heading out to explore in the afternoons. I will likely stop at a café where I will sit with a book and a coffee. As much as the book is a lure, I will be staring outside, observing life pass me by. On my way home, I will stop at a number of small markets to gather the ingredients for my evening meal.

Whether this will be my reality or not, I love the freedom to consider the possibility of this life.