"Imagination Saved Me"

I got the title for today's blog entry from an interview I heard yesterday on CBC radio. Literary journalist Eleanor Wachtel was interviewing Jackie Kay, a Scottish poet. Jackie, who is bi-racial, was talking about what it was like for her to grow up in Scotland in the 1960s and 70s. She had to endure a lot of bullying, but she found solace in retreating to her room and writing poetry. "Imagination saved me," Jackie said. (Since I was driving the car at the time, I had to pull over to the side of the road and write that line down in my trusty notebook.) I love the idea of being saved by imagination. Imagination is something we ALL have access to -- if only we use it. I feel like my imagination saves me every day. And now I'm going to try and find some of Jackie Kay's poetry. Something tells me I'm going to enjoy it!