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  • On remembering how to dream

    Posted on October 2nd, 2009 by Eric Dodds and currently 8 commenting.
    Sometimes asking right questions makes us miss the point. <br>(photograph via me, Eric Dodds)

    Sometimes asking right questions can make us miss the point. (photo via me, Eric Dodds)

    I love it when my parents share life lessons with me. They’ve taught me about insurance, relationships and hot stoves. My dad taught taught me how to fix anything on my car and how to face failure and keep going. My mom taught me to do my best at everything I try and showed me what to look for in a good single malt scotch.

    One thing I’ve noticed lately, though, is that many of the lessons I learn now are actually reminders of things I learned in the past and have lost bit by bit over time.

    Yesterday Greg Cordell’s son, Griffin, was at Brains on Fire. When I walked by him I noticed that he had a book called “Griffin’s Drawing Book of Art.” Dying to know what was inside, I asked him if he would show me what was in it. As he turned the pages I was amazed to find upwards of 30 drawings of original monsters, all unique and individually named. Even more amazing than the drawings were the stories behind each monster - Griffin had a comic-book-like beginning for each character. As I sat there enchanted by story after story I noticed something in myself that bothered me - I was asking really logical questions about the stories he was telling.

    “So this is Fish Man. He was made when a spaceship crashed into the deep part of the ocean and toxic stuff leaked out and got on him and he transformed into a fish-man-monster and started terrorizing people” (sorry if the details are a little off, Griffin).

    Before I knew it my mind was asking questions like: “Where in the world did this spaceship come from? Was something driving it? Did it make news, or just turn into a UFO story? What’s this toxic waste stuff? Where did it come from? Did it create other monsters? What kind of fish was he? Does he require water on land or did the toxic waste give him the ability to survive on oxygen?” As my questions started to kill the magic of the story in my mind I felt my adulthood in a very raw way. Not only do those questions not matter to Griffin, they miss the point of an epic story about a monster coming out of the ocean and terrorizing society.

    I live in a world of reality - budgets and time-lines force me to ask all of the right questions and make sure that no detail is left unturned. But if those questions are all I’m asking, I’m going to miss the point.

    So Griffin, thank you for reminding not to kill the magic of the big story with rationality. Thank you for reminding me to dream. (And you know who I’m coming to for help if I hear about a spaceship crashing into the ocean.)

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8 Responses to “On remembering how to dream”

  1. GoodProspects (Good Prospects) October 2nd, 2009 at 8:37 am

    Twitter Comment


    On remembering how to dream [link to post]

    - Posted using Chat Catcher

  2. Andrew Brynjulson October 2nd, 2009 at 8:42 am

    I think it was Picasso who said, “It took me a lifetime to learn to paint like a child.” This post brings me back to my art school days when my teachers would say, “A mind can be terrible thing.” Fun post.

  3. Eric October 2nd, 2009 at 9:39 am

    What great quotes, Andrew - thanks for sharing man.

  4. Janna October 2nd, 2009 at 11:52 am

    Kids keep it real. My 3 year daughter, excuse me 3 1/2 year old daughter, envelopes me daily in her imaginary world. . .seemingly unrelated to me she will remember in detail the stories she has shared with me . . .all of which happened yesterday.

  5. Robbin October 2nd, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    And that is why we call you the Doddfather. Great, great post!

    I also sat with Griffin last night. I think really listening to a passionate kid is a way to practice listening for magic. Seriously interview a child about a passion and suddenly you get the art of being present, open and just listening.

  6. LenKendall (Len Kendall) October 2nd, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    Twitter Comment


    Remembering how to dream. Everyone has a Griffin inside of them. [link to post]

    - Posted using Chat Catcher

  7. TransitionalTee (Teresa Basich) October 5th, 2009 at 6:53 am

    Twitter Comment


    The one thing you should read today, from Eric at @BrainsOnFire, On remembering how to dream: [link to post]

    - Posted using Chat Catcher

  8. Kelly Jo October 8th, 2009 at 9:59 am

    Eric, Great post.
    Love this… “… thank you for reminding not to kill the magic of the big story with rationality. Thank you for reminding me to dream.”

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