Things that make you go hmmmmm

Have you ever looked at tire marks on the road and wondered how they got there?

I drive my daughter to school every morning and there were some new tire tracks left on the highway.  They were elaborate twists and turns, not the straight lines that occur when a member of the animal kingdom leaps out in front of a vehicle and the driver applies the brakes as fast as possible with ALL of their feet.  No, these resembled the lines left by an ice skater on a freshly Zambonied rink.  Delicate marks that elicit visions of an artist moving in sync with the wind and wildlife accompanied by orchestral music.  At least that's where my thoughts took me.

I envisioned a person driving blissfully along highway 41 and, seemingly without care, grabbing their emergency brake and leaving their mark.  When that didn't work, they did it again and again and again.  Creating black chem trails- Idaho style.  The reality most likely isn't that far off my description.  Instead of a car or truck, the offender is usually an ATV and it's driver someone underage, under the influence, or both.  But that isn't as fun as imagining some glorious Tokyo drift scenario on a rural Idaho highway, is it?

So that led my thoughts to imagination versus pragmatism.  I have had the opportunity to substitute teach in our local school district.  Yup.  That one.  I know.  I know.  I've ranted and raved about this district.  I got a chance to get a job and I took it.  So sue me.  Wait.  Don't.  We got a whole lotta nothin' you want, I promise.

Anyway...

One of the classrooms I worked in had a burn in the carpet that was obviously a hot plate.  The spiral pattern from the element was clear.  I had a chance to ask those students to use their imaginations and create a story about that mark.  We brainstormed over what that mark could mean.  They gave me answers that ranged from a whirlpool to snakes.  It was awesome.  Some of them struggled with trying to think outside of the reality that it was just a hot plate burn, but I believe that given a little more time, they all would have been onboard.

As an adult with a very wacktastic life, a little imagination goes a long way.  I needed that reminder this morning and I'm here to remind you to allow some imagination to invade your life today.