Years ago I sat next to a father and son on a bus ride into town. Sitting in silence, we each gazed out the window at the passing scenery. As we approached the city, the bus stopped at a traffic light. Alongside the bus, an old Mini Cooper drew to a halt just below the window where we sat. Examining the car closely, the little boy clutched the toy car in his hand as though he had just become suddenly aware of how precious it was.
As the mini pulled away, the little boy turned to his father and asked, “Daddy, when that car grows up will it be a bus like this one?”
A deafening silence ensued for a split second then came roaring laughter. All the while, the little boy was unmoved. He waited, looking into his father’s eyes for an answer. Clearly taken aback by the question, the father simply smiled and nodded his head.
Thinking back to this day, I am reminded of the power of childlike faith and imagination. Who robs us of the ability to believe in the impossible? Who tells us that Minis can’t grow into buses one day?
Losing the ability to imagine is closely followed by losing faith. Imagine what would have happened if the inventors of the airplane, the Wright brothers, had stopped imagining what it would be like to fly and written it off as impossible?
Whether your Mini comes in the form of an unfound job, a broken family, an unsuccessful business, an unfound friend, unfulfilled dreams or a void you can’t explain using words, don’t stop imagining the bus that is to come.