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Nobody ever yells in my imaginary house.
There are no put-downs, insults or making others feel useless. In my house, everyone who visits is kind, loving and supportive. They don’t give backhanded compliments or say “nice going” if I make a mistake. I don’t have to jump in to insult myself before somebody else does.
My house has an imaginary garden out back to dig my hands into soil and connect with the Earth once again. A small imaginary English bulldog will even sit nearby as I plant zinnias and roses, not wanting to miss out on any of it. I take good care of the flowers like I do with every living thing in my orbit now. I’m free to fully show my love of anything I want.
My imaginary house looks more like a little fairy-tale cottage. There’s enough room for me and also for my kids whether they live with me or come to visit. Because there’s not much room for anything else, life stays simple and happy.
At my house, I’m allowed to have opinions and discuss them without fear of being bulldozed over like my words don’t matter. I am listened to by others who are not just trying to think of what to say next. Nobody gives me the silent treatment or rolls their eyes when I walk by.
My imaginary house is safe, and I finally feel safe inside even if I forget to lock the door sometimes. I feel calm and reassured that nobody will ever come through my door with bad intentions. I am no longer afraid that anger and pain will destroy my sanctuary.
At my house, I’m allowed to eat whatever I want. Nobody judges me for my food choices or the way I look when I eat. I can have vegetables without anybody complaining. I can watch what I want on TV without being judged or having the channel changed. Here, my music taste isn’t stupid or uneducated.
I have imaginary friends who visit me. They say they love me and mean it. None of them has an ulterior motive to being my friend, and they would never dream of hurting me in any way. When they come over, we only have fun and never have drama. They want what is best for me and tell me they are proud of me for building such an incredible house.
I get a great night’s sleep every night in my imaginary bed. Before I fall asleep, I always express my gratitude for the day. I never wake up in the middle of the night in a panic or for any other reason. I always feel well rested.
At my house, I only wear imaginary makeup when I feel like it. I don’t rush around and spend an hour trying to make myself pretty even if nobody notices. Inside beauty is what’s real, and when I see that in myself, I definitely notice.
When I leave my imaginary house to go shopping, I have the presence of mind not to overspend and only get things I really need. I’m always mindful of my money and how much I can afford to use. When I return home, I don’t panic because I blew all my money. I’m not rich, but my bank account is healthy.
In my house, when imaginary visitors can’t find their imaginary objects, they don’t demand that I find them or accuse me of throwing them away. They never expect me to pick up their imaginary dirty socks and especially don’t shame me in front of my other guests.
They don’t try to convince me that the ways I live, love and think are completely wrong. Instead, they love me for who I already am.
I wish I wasn’t just pretending and this was all real. Maybe one day, my creative mind will be kind enough to carve out a road map to show me how to start working for the things I wish were true. When my best possible life lives only in my imagination, something drastic has got to change.
Starting with my house, and with myself.
Hello Glenna,
I hear you. Listening to someone without interrupting, comparing notes, is an act of love very few of display. Sitting there and just LISTENING to someone is truly something all of us, including me could do so much better. I've learned that the older I've gotten. Tom was the first to challenge me in this area of my life.
Very emotional letter for me to read!! Thank you for challenging all of us to improve in that area and all the other ones. thought provoking as usual.
This is so beautiful and tender, and I want all of those things for you.