Albert Einstein said - “Imagination is more important than
knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand,
while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be
to know and understand.”
One of the most inspiring things I have ever heard. Especially when taking into consideration the man who spoke the words. This phrase - the first sentence of it anyway - I first saw on a poster in college. It stopped me dead in my tracks. These were the words I had been unknowingly searching for to this point of my life. I don't recall my reaction, but it's been more than a decade, and this quote still makes me stop and think every time I hear it or read it.
This one sentence - six words - has inspired me for many years to think beyond what I know, or at least believe, is real and examine everything with a curious eye. In literal terms, I still see the same things others do, just with a slight twist sometimes. Some might call me warped or demented. I prefer to believe that I just think differently, or outside of the box if you will.
"What's your point, Jeff," you ask? Good question.
One thing I have learned recently is that, for me at least, imagination is more important than many things. In the context of this blog, I wanted to bring up something that has been bothering me for quite some time. My personal belief that Imagination is More Important than Vocabulary.
I have found this to be true for my style of writing. I write to see the emotion in the faces of those who read my words. It may be a smile. I hope it's uncontrollable laughter. Perhaps even to remind them of the things or people who have made a difference in their lives, and encourage them to never give up on their dreams.
I have a dictionary. I have a Thesaurus. I have a copy of the AP Style Book. I even have a rhyming dictionary. I could dazzle you would words that would baffle even the fine folks at Merriam-Webster. I choose not to.
Did you know that the average American adult reads on an 8th or 9th grade level? Why would anyone, myself included, want to read a story where we would have to Google search every other word in order to understand what is happening?
Maybe I will never be a New York Times Best Selling Author, I may never even get published. One thing I know fore sure, however, is that I can stir emotion in people if I can place my words in the proper order and use good timing to catch them off guard.
To put it another way, if I were a painter, I could buy all of the best brushes and every paint color known to man, but if I didn't know how to manipulate the colors on the canvas, can I really call myself an artist? Think about it.
This one sentence - six words - has inspired me for many years to think beyond what I know, or at least believe, is real and examine everything with a curious eye. In literal terms, I still see the same things others do, just with a slight twist sometimes. Some might call me warped or demented. I prefer to believe that I just think differently, or outside of the box if you will.
"What's your point, Jeff," you ask? Good question.
One thing I have learned recently is that, for me at least, imagination is more important than many things. In the context of this blog, I wanted to bring up something that has been bothering me for quite some time. My personal belief that Imagination is More Important than Vocabulary.
I have found this to be true for my style of writing. I write to see the emotion in the faces of those who read my words. It may be a smile. I hope it's uncontrollable laughter. Perhaps even to remind them of the things or people who have made a difference in their lives, and encourage them to never give up on their dreams.
I have a dictionary. I have a Thesaurus. I have a copy of the AP Style Book. I even have a rhyming dictionary. I could dazzle you would words that would baffle even the fine folks at Merriam-Webster. I choose not to.
Did you know that the average American adult reads on an 8th or 9th grade level? Why would anyone, myself included, want to read a story where we would have to Google search every other word in order to understand what is happening?
Maybe I will never be a New York Times Best Selling Author, I may never even get published. One thing I know fore sure, however, is that I can stir emotion in people if I can place my words in the proper order and use good timing to catch them off guard.
To put it another way, if I were a painter, I could buy all of the best brushes and every paint color known to man, but if I didn't know how to manipulate the colors on the canvas, can I really call myself an artist? Think about it.
Copyright 2012 J.C. Gardiner
backwardsjeff@gmail.com
FB - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Backwards-Jeff/122548301200263
Twitter - @BackwardsJeff
Twitter #2 - DearCrabby (aka @JeffroGardiner)
backwardsjeff@gmail.com
FB - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Backwards-Jeff/122548301200263
Twitter - @BackwardsJeff
Twitter #2 - DearCrabby (aka @JeffroGardiner)
You inspire me!
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