"The Little People"

When i first heard this phrase used by a family friend, describing her stature, it seemed appropriate. I laughed, as did everyone else. Monica even chuckled herself. It was only when she enlightened the group, however, that a scene from "Good Will Hunting" came to mind. The scene was where Sean and Will are talking about the things that Sean remembers of his deceased wife. Her "Idiosyncracies", or imperfections, that made her so perfect.

The joke, as it appeared to the group, was actually something like this. Don, Monica's late husband, believed he was able to see and speak to "the little people". Of course, the group was suddenly taken over by a sense of guilt and sincere regret. We didn't know, Monica pointed this out to us to comfort our awkward silence, but like all jokes this one had its own origins. We all appreciated the back- story. Though, it wasn't something to laugh at.

Don never gave up his favourite chair in the living- room. It was his and his only. In the latter days of his sickness he begun to talk to "the little people". It started with this one incident when Don was sitting in his chair watching t.v. Monica and the rest of the family were at the dinner table having coffee and tea. Don, at one point spoke to the right side of him: "Do you want me to move over?" he asked. Monica and the boys stopped and looked over. Joshua asked: "Who are you talking to dad?" Don replied: "No one mate."

The incident occured once more. This time, when Joshua asked again, Don replied: "I was talking to the little people." It was this second incident that shocked the entire family. For these little people, Don got out of his chair and sat in Monica's. Don passed on soon after, and may He Forever Rest in Peace.

Of course, the group found the idea of "little people" obsured. I, however, both internally and verbally expressed my view, simultaneously. "What's wrong with that?" The looks and expressions around the table told me that was a stupid question, and that something like that wasn't "normal". I did not, and do not, intend on making a farce of this. I honestly believe that there is nothing wrong with someone, or even a group of people, claiming to see little people. Guilliver did, in his travells to Liliput. No one believed him till his son begun to notice them as well.

This may seem crazy, but i think there is nothing wrong with this at all. People believe in aliens, yet no one's seen them. People can't believe in God, yet they believe in aliens, which in itself is a ridiculous notion. Children believe in witches and magic and ghosts and all these other supernatural beings. Of course, children are exactly that. These little human beings with an imagination to wrap the entire world in. If believing in God is hard for some, then i find it hard to believe how some can believe in the notion of aliens.

The imagination of a child is so wild that it allows for adventures and magic and quests and FUN. Why do people grow up and, mentally, loose this imagination? Sure, if we all believed in ghosts and magic and dragons then we may live in a totally different world. Perhaps the argument i'm trying to make here is, whilst there's nothing wrong with growing up, does everyone have to make the choice to loose their imagination. Their ability to believe in magic and dragons and worlds out of this universe?

I don't think the notion of "little people" is crazy or ludicrous or silly. I think that any man who can see something another can't is more sane. It's this ability to "see", or imagine, that allows for people like "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium", "The Spiderwick Chronicles" and even "Harry Potter".

From this story i think that i will take just this away. There is magic in the world, and in our lives, each day. Sometimes our ability to see it depends on what believe it to be. Some may think it's luck, fate, life, or some may believe it's a blessing from God. There are those, still, who believe it's magic.

Perhaps i am crazy. Though, i'd like to think that i still have the ability to believe in things that others find silly or ludicrous. It's fun. It makes my life a whole lot more interesting. I can be who i want, go where i want, and i can rule it all. Yes, this is madness, but i've grown up around adults all my life. I guess i'm sick to death of all the dullness and drabness that old people bring. When the game is said and done, i return to reality. That, too, can be fun as well. Like the "Pevensie children", often, i don't have to want to return to imaginary worlds, they come to me. Like Peter and Susan, however, i walk the line of growing too old for the likes of these worlds; that one day i will have to take all that i've learnt, and leave. I hope it's not the case though.

Take away my imagination and you take away something that makes me who i am. Call me a dreamer, but it's something that i love about me too; My imagination. I can't help but wait for the next time that i let my imagination take me away to some place i've never known.

(Many thanks to Monica Beverage for allowing me to publish this post, using a memory of hers that emphasises Don's perfections, and the things we all loved him for)