Get the exclusive (almost) Weekly Digest.

    Educational Philosophy, Other Thoughts

    Lift Me Up: Imagination as Lever

    February 21, 2013 by Brandy Vencel

    Imagination, not dialectic, rules the world.
    Russell Kirk

    Yesterday was one of those days. You know the ones I’m talking about, right? The ones where you feel like a bad human being — because you are. Where you grouch and grump, and no one can make you happy. Where you stop before you start because you know you’ll lose your patience if you try. Where you can’t seem to talk (or discipline) yourself into behaving as you know you ought. What can I say? I think there might be a wrong side of the bed after all.

    Lift Me Up Imagination as Lever

    I read my Bible, but it seemed like nothing could get into my hardened heart.

    I apologized to my children.

    Again.

    It was just a no good, very bad day. Today is a Good Day and so, in retrospect, it all seems so silly. Why exactly was I short-tempered and completely unbearable to be around?

    To be honest, I have no idea. Try as I might, I can’t come up with an excuse, and I venture to say that this is because there isn’t one.

    When we finally got a chance to sit down, at the very end of the day, we read. We read Nicholas Nickelby, just one chapter, and I felt like an even worse human being than before. I woke up in a funk, for no particular reason that I can think of, and at the end of the day I tortured myself by reading about Miss Nickelby, who will suffer all pains and insults with gratitude, comforting herself that her dear brother is doing well — who will work for her bread, even though she is not accustomed to it, that her mother might be secure.

    Who will sacrifice herself with grace and dignity.

    She is something like a martyr, only even more endearing because she is willing to live through day after day of sacrifice.

    I could have read my Bible for hours, but it was Kate Nickelby who made me want to repent.

    Lest you think I’m diminishing my belief in sola scriptura, I assure you that I’m not. But perhaps God gave Story an open door into our hearts?

    I know I quote Kirk all the time in this regard, and perhaps it’s getting tiresome, but is it not a powerful thought, what he said about Pilgrim’s Progress?

    Being brought up on Bunyan was some protection against being swallowed by Hobbes’ Leviathan.

    Think about that! A story written in a humble prison protected the soul from a horrendous but highly intellectual piece of political philosophy!

    Scripture says this:

    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

    How is that for a lifelong curriculum? Think on these things! Think on the things that are true and honest and just and pure and lovely and virtuous. Think on the things that are worth thinking about.

    What is interesting about the mind is that we don’t usually think about abstract ideas; we think about incarnations. We don’t think about the idea of a hero. We think about heroes. We require a narrative. We can’t meditate on the idea of good manners as long as we can ponder a story — or a person — in which (or by whom) they were embodied. I can try to think of what it is like to be a good mother, or I can think about Caroline Ingalls and Marmee. I can say that the greatest love is when one lays down his life for his friend, but it really hits home when I read the story of the Crucifixion, or Yonge’s Book of Golden Deeds.

    A story works its way into our souls, and suddenly, for a moment at least, we want to be better people. It is almost as if, briefly, we remember what God created Man to be, and instead of being crushed by how very far we’ve fallen, we see a hope of greatness. Perhaps, by God’s grace, some of us really can follow in Christ’s steps, and do the things that are pure and honest and lovely — do the things worth thinking about.

    I think this is why Longfellow, in his poem about Florence Nightingale, wrote:

    Whene’er a noble deed is wrought,
    Whene’er is spoken a noble thought,
    Our hearts, in glad surprise,
    To higher levels rise.

    Is this not true? Do not our own hearts swell when we read of a good deed done and a noble life lived?

    Longfellow goes on:

    The tidal wave of deeper souls
    Into our inmost being rolls,
    And lifts us unawares
    Out of all meaner cares.

    We read about people better than ourselves, and we forget our own petty troubles, at least momentarily.

    I wish I could write stories like that. Maybe someday I will. But for now I recognize that in good stories, God has allowed us a powerful lever, lifting our hearts out of the mire. This is why He tells us to think on these things. If we choose good books, the fruit is there for the taking.

    And with Longfellow we might pray:

    Honor to those whose words or deeds
    Thus help us in our daily needs,
    And by their overflow
    Raise us from what is low!

    I needed raising yesterday. Did you?

    Get the (almost) weekly digest!

    Weekly encouragement, direct to your inbox, (almost) every Saturday.

    Powered by ConvertKit
    Print Friendly, PDF & Email

    7 Comments

  • Reply Cindi February 8, 2016 at 6:46 pm

    Just so you know, Brandy, your essay fulfills Philippians 4:8! It is definitely worth thinking about and contemplating deeply, as well as saving and savoring over and over again. My heart swelled with the wisdom you imparted here.

    • Reply Brandy Vencel February 8, 2016 at 8:41 pm

      Cindi, thank you so much. ♥ I consider that a high compliment indeed! 🙂

  • Reply Brandy@Afterthoughts February 27, 2013 at 6:05 am

    Kristen, I had to delete your comment. I’m sorry! Something about it was making it impossible for anyone else to leave a comment. It was some sort of comment form malfunction. So I apologize, but here is my response…

    Are the books you mention the ones written by Melissa Wiley? If so, I haven’t read them, but I enjoy her blog. 🙂

    Biographies! I totally agree with you on those. Also very inspiring…

    I always admire people who can make a list of books to read. I have tried to do that so many times, but I find that my tendency is to grab whatever appeals to me at the time from my neverending stack. Of course, it helps that the stack’s contents are carefully chosen, so I suppose that is a sort of making a list in its own right. 🙂

    Happy reading, Kristen. 🙂

  • Reply Kristen @ Dem Golden Apples February 26, 2013 at 3:42 am

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  • Reply Dawn February 22, 2013 at 12:50 pm

    Well, I didn’t read this post until the end of the day on Thursday, but it perfectly described MY day yesterday. So whatever traveled across to Australia flew back and hit me with a fury. I cannot tell you how comforting it was to read this and know that I was in the presence of greatness:) Seriously–I appreciate your willingness to share this so very common but so infrequently discussed issue, Brandy. And to tie it up to the power of books, which connects so many of us? Perfect. Thank you.

  • Reply walking February 21, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    I think that Jesus believed in imagination because he spoke great truths in parables. So, when I read “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” I think on some of the wonderful living books I have read, lovely things I have seen, beautiful music I have heard and song, and commendable things I have made with my hands.

  • Reply Jeanne February 21, 2013 at 2:03 am

    Yes! Whatever it was that caused your blue funk reached all the way over here to Australia. Sigh.

  • Leave a Reply