By Elizabeth Tang Grade 6
J.K. Rowling is the writer who wrote Harry Potter, the book series that is famous all over the world. When she was a kid, she loved to play role-playing games in her little loft; she liked to act as a wizard and other characters, and this helped her become better at using her imagination to create new ideas. When she was six years old, she fell in love with writing stories. She tried writing stories for her friends and family; she wanted to use her imagination to create love. Time passed, and Rowling grew up in the blink of an eye, but she never stopped thinking and making new stories. Even when she was in meetings, she always tuned out. One afternoon, when Rowling finished all her work, a big story came to her mind, and a little boy emerged from her heart—it was a story about a boy who went to a magic school. With the help of Rowling’s firm heart, she finished her story between 1990 and 2017; she overcame the challenges and won.
Rowling was successful at last, all because of her willpower in facing difficult problems and the help of her imagination. To me, the key to success is learning from the experiences of successful people. But how? “Reading gives you ideas; thinking turns them into knowledge.” That is what my parents always taught me—reading books. So when I was six years old, just like Rowling, I fell in love with reading excellent books and always created stories in my mind. This helped me a lot with writing. That is why I understand that imagination is the foundation of creation. But imagination is more than just a writer’s tool; it is a biological wonder.
But imagination is not just about daydreaming. From the first time people looked at the sky to the development of AI, imagination has always been the key to human improvement. It is a powerful magic. It plays a pivotal role in the arts; it gives people the thoughtfulness and bravery to observe the world. But have you wondered: why do we have imagination?
As we know, imagination is the ability to picture things in the absence of external sensory input. Imagination is an evolutionary tool for innovation; it can help us reflect on the past and welcome the future. Imagination is the material library of ideas in our minds. Without it, humans cannot improve. Maybe the truth of imagination lies in the prefrontal cortex; although many animals can dream every day, humans are the only animals who can independently mobilize their imagination. It shows that our prefrontal cortex evolved a long time ago. So, imagination is a survival ability rooted in neural mechanisms.
But without creative work, imagination is nothing. Humans started working from the moment they came into the world. They found food, built houses, and created art… With the help of the imagination in our minds, we created a new world. In short, creative work is the process of using imagination to transform ideas into unique art. The core of it is expressing oneself by using imagination.
Creation can be hard. People encounter difficult problems, and without trying hard, we cannot solve them. But the benefit of creative work is the dream of everyone. It helps you to see yourself clearly, excites your imagination, and improves your thinking and expression abilities. With creative work, you can answer the inner call of yourself.
Creative work and your imagination are friends; they work together to build your dreams. Imagination is the source of creativity, and only creation can surmount problems. You can make your imagination more powerful by writing a diary and observing your life attentively. To turn your thoughts into reality, you can try to put your fragmented inspiration into an integrated idea by framing it with your imagination. If you have problems at work, try to ask yourself, “What if…?” to evoke the imagination needed for solving problems.
Believe in yourself; a flourishing imagination is always your best friend in creative work. Don’t just dream, start creating.
Music is magic and powerful because it is the greatest gift bestowed upon humanity by the heavens. It is the only common language in the whole world.
