Finding Neverland

Recently, I watched an incredible movie called "Finding Neverland" starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. The movie is about a playwright in the early 1900s who writes a play about a mystical fantasy of a getaway called "Neverland." Neverland is his own personal place of escape and adventure. He encounters a family that shows him how he should use Neverland as a source of inspirational entertainment. Using his real-life companions, he creates their fantasy counter-parts: Peter Pan, Wendy, Nanna, Michael, Tiger-Lilly, Captain Hook., etc... In lamens terms, its a fictional movie about the guy who thought up the story of Peter Pan, and the events that led to his portrayal of the story. It was done very well. Its a very tragic movie, but exciting nonetheless.

The title of my blog "My Mind Is A Playground" isn't really that 'suave' sounding. It doesn't come across striking or intriguing (if you ask me). Its simply a description of who I am and what goes on in my mind. I enjoy creating places like Neverland, and imagining people and situations that stir the heart and inspire the soul. I related closely to the fictional character in this movie. We both allow ourselves to slip off the radar from time to time and indulge ourselves in the boyish fantasies of adventure and especially danger.

Thinking up such fabrications comes naturally to me. The smallest happening might trigger my imagination. However, my question is this: what would life be like if things we thought up so easily could happen just as effortlessly? What I mean is, what if I could just think something into existence? Never having to lift a finger towards building whatever substance I'm dreaming of, but simply bringing the figment into reality by wishing it?

The sad truth is, when it comes to dreams and ambitions, sometimes daydreams or delusions are as far as a persons wit takes them. I know for me personally, many times in my life, I've never proceeded any further than my minds mirage. In the movie that I spoke about, Johnny Depp's character "James" has allowed areas in his life to go uncared for (his marriage mostly). He thinks up amazing and envious fantasies that may entertain him, but truly steal his time. James is faced with a situation where Neverland finally has a chance to become a reality, not only in one of his plays, but in the hearts of a family that is weak and needy for hope. Finding Neverland becomes a reality only because he's determined to help his friends.

I think we all have to ask ourselves "what is it that will motivate me to move past dreaming something and into living it?" Maybe its compassion (Jame's motivation). Perhaps its even anger, or concern. Whatever it is, my hope is that its pure, and it truly stirs the heart of the one who is genuinely Finding Neverland in their life, and that regardless of what Neverland looks like to them, that they realize that its only discipline that can create a reality out of fantasy.