I was reminded by the recent Christopher Robin movie of the importance of our imaginations and our playful natures in helping us heal from life's losses.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place,he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b] 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:10-15

Some say that we're too left brain for our own good. 

It seems our imaginations get shelved when we become adults.  We put away our imaginations and rely on the rational thought processes to help us with daily problems. 

Yet in other parts of the world, God speaks through our imaginations- the right brain. He made us with two hemispheres and why wouldn't he?  It is often when grief enters our lives that we learn quickly through the dreams He provides to each of us reminders of our loved ones as though those dreams remind us that their loved one is in a good place.

Shortly after our daughter died, we purchased this Meerkat ( named after Meerkat Manor) because it was the nickname he had for his sister whenever they watched the Animal Kingdom show at their grandparents. They would each make these meerkats sounds.  

When she died, he no longer had this outlet. My son had wanted to buy a small stuff Meerkat at the hospital store to give to his sister when she was recovering from surgery but never did. After she died, my wife found the same Meerkat at a store when she was shopping with our son and decided to purchase it for him.  Like Pooh was to Christopher Robin, Meerkat was to our son. Whenever we traveled he brought Meerkat along. Meerkat was a source of comfort for a grieving boy's heart because it helped him to always remember he had a sister.

Our Imaginations are a powerful instrument used by God to help us heal from our loss. 

Even Christopher Robin discovers that it is okay to hang onto his former friends from his youth- Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore because his friends helped restored his love for life, his wife, and his child. His friends helped him to remember that it is okay to take time off to play and have fun with his family.

Every one of us will encounter loss as we travel through life. Life Experiences will do that to us. When it does, remember God speaks through our imaginations in the dreams he gives to us, or the exquisite colorful night skies he reveals to us!