The Power of Pretend

As a kid I found interesting ways to entertain myself when no body else was around which wasn't very often. I would find myself pretending. I would pretend that I caught the game winning catch to end the world series, or that I was an ambulance driver (my Dad was an EMT and mortician so we had ambulances and hearses in our front yard . . . don't judge me) but the most vivid moments I remember was when I would pretend to be speaking to thousands of people. I used whatever was long and skinny to be my microphone and I would give altar calls to my Barbies (yes, I played with them) and stuffed animals. I would encourage Barbie to leave her evils ways and Ken definitely had some repenting to do.

Years later when I was speaking in a large arena I remember thinking . . . I've been here before. I had seen this moment a million times. Yes I was nervous, this wasn't Barbie and Ken I was talking too, but real people. Pretending really gets a bad rap these days. We fight to find the authentic, and real . . . because we're tired of living between the tension of being who we are and our desire to become so much more.

There is power in pretending. I was reminded of this when I heard Terrence Trammell, (two-time Olympic Silver Medalist) interviewed at the Olympic try-outs in Eugene, Oregon. The announcer asked him "Terrence, how will you respond to the cheers in Beijing for your opponent, Lui Xiang of China since he will be the hometown favorite." Terrence replied, "When they cheer for him, I will pretend they are really cheering for me and I will use that energy."

We're all grown up now and it's not cool to pretend anymore . . . but I think we're all still doing it. I'm pretending to change the world . . . how about you?