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Art, Nature and the Panacea of Fantasy

  
By:  A. Macarthur  •  4 years ago  •  8 comments


Art, Nature and the Panacea of Fantasy
 

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2023~ The CREATIVE ARTS GROUP ON THE NEWSTALKERS


“The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.” _ Albert Einstein

~

Like a lot of young boys, I indulged in certain fantasies, mostly, in my case, the fantasies that I might have a "real shot" at one day pitching in the Major Leagues of Baseball, and particularly, as a kid living in the city of Philadelphia, for the Philadelphia Phillies. In my estimation, I came closer to realizing that fantasy, than do the overwhelming number of American boys having similar ones.

In 1958 and 1960, as a kid pitching on a team, in what was, unlike today, a highly competitive, city-wide, sandlot baseball league, I was selected by opposing-team coaches, as a league ALL-STAR! By itself, that doesn't sound like much … except for the fact that those boys so selected, GOT TO PLAY AN ACTUAL GAME IN CONNIE MACK STADIUM (at the time, the Phillies home field)! 

And I got to do it TWICE! 

Not exactly "the fantasy lived," but for one kid with a dream, and most others, as close to "livin' it" as it gets.

As a grown man, with a grown man's responsibilities and fears, fantasies continued to exist, but became more about having (the illusion of) control over one's life … and, over the fears as well, not so much, if at all, with any belief in a realization.

For a time, I regularly bought lottery tickets … bought them just one-at-a-time and once-a-week, more indicative perhaps of "wishful thinking" than that of pure fantasy or the delusion of wishes and fantasies materializing. Nevertheless, in my fantasy, the "HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR TICKET," would come with a "list," specifically, one with the names of family, neighbors and friends to whom I'd give a million dollars each! Of course, charities would get generous shares, and, I'd buy a big house on the edge of a mountain lake, a house for family … a retreat with touches like a coffee pot on a timer from which I could pour myself a cup first thing at sunrise … then sip it as I'd walk between sliding, glass back doors to my dock from which I'd fly fish for rainbow trout and smallmouth bass. And I'd now-and-then return from that house to the "old neighborhood" …doing so to prepare some of my former neighbors and a handful of friends, for a week or more in Disney World, with rooms at one of the very fine hotels "in the park" … and park passes to the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT … all at my expense and happiness to do so.

However, eventually, Corinthians 13:11  took hold (for the most part, although not entirely), and, I found from time-to-time, to fill a void, to distract from the frustrations and anxieties caused by a world of trouble, and to push aside fears … that by assimilating the various contents of "The Arts" … of paintings, theater, music, film and literature, through fantasizing in accord with their imagery and sounds and words, and/or, by creating my own art through photography, painting and writing … using them to build my own fantasies … I had a welcome, necessary panacea … if only an intermittent, fleeting one.

So it is, that I have made a literal, physical space for this phenomenon I regard as "the panacea of fantasy ," this, by recently assembling a few simple things on the porch of my tiny house on the slope of a mountain in Pennsylvania's Poconos … a perfect venue on nights when sweet air from the forested mountain rolls gently through the porch's screens and surrounds me like a caress from heaven … in which to slowly rock in a glider chair until I doze off from my meditating and fantasizing, subsequently awakening just long enough to go inside and fall asleep.

Simple, gently compelling … that space … it is this.

original

One additional fantasy, or, more a wish with some limited plausibility … that people I have known and care about, can sit here with me, listen to the sounds of the mountain night, feel the air … and fall into their own fantasies.


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A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
1  author  A. Macarthur    4 years ago

 “The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.” _ Albert Einstein

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
1.1  Raven Wing  replied to  A. Macarthur @1    4 years ago

That is not only beautiful Mac, but, also so very Spiritual. I can feel it, just looking at the picture. It is truly inspirational, and reaches deep into one's soul. I can feel my spirits lift, the peace flowing through my body, all the ugly noise of the world disappear.

As I sit and look at my monitor, I can sense the freshness of the cool maintain air, the peace and tranquility of being one with Mother Earth.

If I could ever have the chance to be in such an awesome place, it would indeed be a true fantasy. But, one I would love to experience.

Very well done. Thank you so much for sharing it with us, and the chance to have such a wonderful experience. 

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
1.2  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  A. Macarthur @1    4 years ago

Imagination, fantasy and fantasizing - we are so lucky to have that ability.  Pehaps in my case it explains my love of the movies, and it is a tool that helps me find peace and helps me to fall asleep at night as I relive the scenarios.  I tried testing others' ability to fantasize and use their imagination with a Movie Group article called "Continue the Story".  It required them to take a movie and come up with a continuation of the movie's plot.  An example I used was a movie seen by many, An Affair to Remember.  The movie ended with Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) sitting beside Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr), in tears, just having discovered why she didn't show up at the Empire State Building.  I imagined that they married, moved into the gorgeous home overlooking the Mediterranean Sea left to him by his (aunt? grandmother?).  He had a ramp put where a few steps led to the small chapel where Terry went to pray every day, and every day, due to Nikkie's love and her strong belief that her prayers would heal, got a little better, until finally she could walk again and the story would end with their celebrating at a beautiful restaurant/night club, dancing together once again.  

NOBODY BOTHERED TO EVEN TRY....

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
3  Kavika     4 years ago

Thank you Mac. I loved reading it and seeing the ''space''...

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
4  author  A. Macarthur    4 years ago

I'm happy to see comments herein, and, want to take the opportunity to apologize for not indicating that the article is for thoughts and comments rather than images.

I would greatly appreciate if anyone coming to this article would encourage others to do so by posting its link.

Many thanks.

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
5  evilone    4 years ago

Ah... yes, sitting on the porch dreaming far away dreams as I often do. I fondly remember not long ago sitting in my space dreaming of a deep forest adventure, dodging terrible beasts and bandits to find hidden treasures therein. 

 
 
 
MFE187
Freshman Silent
6  MFE187    4 years ago

I'm lucky enough to know the author of this article, what a wonderful article and great person he is!

M.E.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
6.1  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  MFE187 @6    4 years ago

A nice and unexpected kindness from a neighbor who, not only found the article and read it, but apparently logged in so as to be able to comment.

I'm glad he and his family are on my million dollar/Disney World list (as are some NewTalkers friends … you know who you are).

 
 

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