
Me and My Imaginary Friend
Have you ever had an imaginary friend? Do you have an imaginary friend now?
If you once had an imaginary friend, I feel very happy for you.
If you have an imaginary friend now, I feel even more happy for you. (You thought I was going to say I feel worried for you, didn’t you?)
I think I’d rather like to have an imaginary friend now, at my age.
But that’s a discussion for another time. It’s not actually what this post is about.
Sometimes, a random thought will come wandering into my head like a lost tourist, plonk itself down on its suitcase in the middle of my thoughts and wait for me to ask if there’s anything I can do for it.
The latest one was this:
“I wonder what it would be like to be an imaginary friend?”
Let’s think about that, shall we?
You’d never have to feel guilty for being in the wrong place at the wrong time or the wrong place at the right time or the right place at the wrong time. An imaginary friend always has perfect timing.
You’d never have to take your foot out of your mouth or apologise for saying something thoughtless, hurtful or stupid. An imaginary friend always knows the right thing to say.
You’d never have to agonise over a gift, wondering if it’s appropriate or too much or too little. An imaginary friend always buys awesome imaginary gifts with his/her imaginary millions.
You’d never have to second guess yourself about whether you were a good friend or not. An imaginary friend has absolute confidence.
You’d never have to make conversation with other friends or relatives of your friend, especially those with political views that make your blood boil. An imaginary friend is invisible to everybody else.
You’d never have to worry about posting the wrong thing on Facebook or Twitter or forgetting to reply to an email from your friend. Imaginary people don’t have Facebook or Twitt….er….acc…..ounts….. Okay, you might have to wear that one.
What would it be like to be an imaginary friend?
I reckon it would be freakin’ awesome!
How about you?
Ah but the joy of the inter webs is we get to be a version of that, our best selves, always there, but not hogging the couch, spreading love at hopefully the right time…
And theme sometimes, if we are very blessed, we get to meet them in person
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This is very true. I would agree wholeheartedly. 🙂
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You are never invisible, I see you! In my mind’s eye, on the wire and in person, because I am very blessed
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I’m pretty sure being an imaginary friend for an adult would mean being over six feet in height, being covered in white fur and having big floppy ears. (http://staticmass.net/classic/harvey-1950-review/)
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Harvey was imaginary?? Are you sure?? I think you’ve just destroyed a part of my childhood…..
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Oops! Sorry about that. 😦
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I like what Naomi said. With the internet, we can be that kind of perfect imaginary friend – we dream, we do, and we share. If I were an imaginary friend to myself, I would certainly be all of those points you mentioned and also be awake 24/7, looking out all the time for me. That imaginary friends knows no sleep and has endless energy and never slows down.
Maybe…we all do have imaginary friends and we don’t know it, or our friends have not shown themselves. For instance, a lot of the time I wake up later than I like for work and still make it to work on time – the trams and trains all come as I run to the platform and open their doors, no people in my way…I like to think my imaginary friend slowed the rest of the world down for me 😀
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Oh, I like that. Or a car pulling out of a parking space just as you’re about to give up on finding one. Or when you think your day’s not going to pan out because you’re not organised and it all just magically kind of happens. Yes. I think you’re right. Thanks, Mabel. 🙂
And I liked Naomi’s point too. The friends we meet on the internet but not in person allow us to be the perfect friend, just like an imaginary friend.
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Oops – one too many apostrophes there.
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Sigh. Not any more.
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What Naomi said … it was perfect.
Although sometimes I think – as women of a certain age – we start to become invisible to the world except to a special few and therefore a form of imaginary.
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She’s a wise one, that Naomi.
Yes, somewhere in my thought processes, that one came across the desk. May have even been the initial kernel to the final idea, subconsciously looking for the positive in being invisible. If that makes sense.
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The only positive I can think of to being invisible is if I decided to embrace a life of crime.
Which reminds me of a story from university.
A guy in one of my classes (I had a HUGE crush on him) was trying to teach me how to cheat on an exam. After a couple of hours of *tutorial*, he finally concluded that studying hard was my best option because I was hopeless inept as a cheat.
One of the nicest compliments I’ve ever had 🙂
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Ha! I’d take that one! 😀
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I’m smiling at Naomi’s comment. Here we are in our big world of imaginary friends who if ever so lucky get one day to be real friends. 🙂
I am pondering on Mabel’s thoughts. I always thought it might be good karma when the roads at rush hour seemed to run smoothly for me. Perhaps my imaginary friends directed traffic.
Between the lines it sounds like the closet of real friends may need a bit of de-cluttering?
Hugs for the not quite imaginary friend. Xoxo
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It’s a little bit odd really, isn’t it? To think that we have friends who for all intents and purposes are kind of ‘imaginary’ but at the same time they’re real people. But her point about being able to be an imaginary friend in the context that we get to be the best friend version we can be does then lead to the predictable nervousness if we do get to meet in person. Will the imaginary friend translate successfully into a real one? (Both ways.)
I rather love Mabel’s idea of imaginary friends making things happen to help us. 🙂
I think it was more the other way. Still struggling to find the best version of myself and the thought crossed my mind that imaginary friends are perfect and I wish I could be one. Thanks for the hugs. xo
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Although we have only spent a day together I have to say I’m not sure how you could be any better my friend? Your generosity in time , energy,and not to mention goodie bags, will forever be something in my memory banks. None of us are perfect. what I’m getting better at as I get older is being kinder to myself on the days I’m less than stellar. I hope you can develop some of that gentle self care too. You definitely deserve it. xo
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What an interesting exchange of ideas among you all…it’s so true that in another era we would have been laughed at for imagining that these virtual friendships could exist!
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I love the way I can throw out some weird thought and people come to the dinner party with their equally fascinating thoughts on the subject. An imaginary dinner party, of course. 🙂
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Beîng an imagination Friend?
If you fall in love a person,
Afterwords,changing to a friend”..It is impossible…. Because it is a difference thing…The “meaning” changes..You can’t…Because,from the beginning ,your expectations are very different..If you are a lover,it is impossible to change à Friend…Put you to my place…?You’ll understand..
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That’s probably a whole other side to the story. Thanks for adding to a very interesting discussion!
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I had an imaginary friend in my early childhood. His name was Fred. I strongly suspect he was Mr. Rogers, but I don’t know for sure, because of all the things I remember, I don’t remember him. I was an only, and my mother had lost what was supposed to be my brother, so your guess is as good as mine.
I think we can be our own best friends, which is somewhat imaginary. 🙂
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I’m becoming attached to the idea of having an imaginary friend (if it’s not really possible to be an imaginary friend) but I can’t yet decide on a name. Fred’s a good name. Solid friends, your Freds. Plus you could sing that song. “Right, said Fred, Both of us together.”
All joking aside, I can see that a little girl who had been expecting a brother who never came would want to create something to fill that space.
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I think so too, not that I remember.
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I had an imaginary friend too, when I was little. His name was Binky. My mother says one day I just said to her “Binky’s gone to Condamine” and that was the end of Binky. Poor Binky.
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I hope Binky is happy in Condamine. 🙂 (The name Binky for me will always be the name of Death’s horse, from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books.)
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He never came back so he must like it there. 🙂
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Happy for him. Kind of sad for you, though.
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You know, I can’t remember Binky. I only know because my mother told me! So perhaps Binky’s in a better place.
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Just as well the imaginary friend is imaginary. Otherwise s/he could launch stalking charges. Or nasty conversations could ensue, about needing space: “It’s all about YOU – you and YOUR needs. What about me? Do you ever think about what *I* might want? I’m sick of being objectified, sick of being used, sick of you dumping all your stuff on me…” And so forth.
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But that’s exactly the beauty of an imaginary friend. They don’t care about any of that stuff. I think I want to be an imaginary friend as part of my endless but doomed quest to be perfect. 🙂
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You make a pretty good case for having an imaginary friend. The guy at the bar with me on some Saturdays is mostly imaginarry but he’s good company.
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I think I’d like an imaginary bar friend. Great reason go – “I have to meet a friend.” 🙂
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Shhh, your giving away my secret. “I’m working on a new blog post, with a friend”
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Hmmm, cool thoughts you’ve got going there ! I think the main perk of being one(an imaginary friend) would be to appear and disappear just like that out of thin air 😁
Plus I often talk to myself. Does this make me my own imaginary friend 😉
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If it does, I travel with an imaginary friend in the car all the time. 😉
My head can sometimes be a weird place. 😀
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Oh don’t worry, it’s a good thing nobody can see inside it 😉
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Sometimes I worry about you … [grin]
Love ya but.
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I know. Frightenin’, ain’t it? 😀
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Ah – not working … I shall call you, she said threateningly.
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Tricked ya. Working. It’s recess and they didn’t give me a yard duty. But the music has started, have to go.
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You win. XO
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I had several imaginary friends when I was nearly old enough to drive a car legally in the US. I have a favorite imaginary friend who I still, to this day, wish were real. Every now and then, I’d also wish I were someone’s imaginary friend. There are times when I start thinking, “hey, wait, what if I really were someone’s imaginary friend and my conjurer is so good at imagining me that other people can see me and interact with me too?!….” but then I stop because I don’t know who is my conjurer.
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Oh, I really like that thought – maybe I’m an imaginary friend but just don’t know that I’m imaginary. I have a weird love of thoughts like that that make my head hurt. 😀
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What a brilliant thought experiment!
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My brain is so random sometimes but I love the way others just run with it.
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I’m pretty sure that sometimes I am my own imaginary friend!
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It can sometimes be handy to be your own imaginary friend. 🙂
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It works for me 🙂
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Well, you had me resigning my current post and signing up to be an imaginary friend… till I read all the astute stuff your readers write. Now I’m just smiling, and sending hugs 🙂 🙂
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They’re good, aren’t they? I’d have such a boring blog without them. 🙂 I think I’ve given up on the possibility of being an imaginary friend (although I do love the idea that I might be one without knowing it – how messed up is that??) but I’m pretty keen to find an imaginary friend of my own. I think they’d be useful.
Thanks for coming by, Jo. 🙂
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My imaginary friends have twitter accounts 😀
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My imaginary friend doesn’t judge; accepts my quirkiness and sometimes is quirkier than me. The time/place where I find my imaginary friend is before going to bed at night. I talk to my friend for hours, ranting, squealing and being overly enthusiastic about every tiny detail in my life. My imaginary friend reciprocates that feeling. It feels amazing.
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Sounds like the best kind of imaginary friend! 🙂
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Aren’t the characteristics of our imaginary friend in our hands? 😉
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I think being an imaginary friend would be awesome! I would never get in trouble even if I got blamed. I wouldn’t have to deal with life and the drama that it contains. I could do whatever I wanted. Wow! I think that sounds fun! Just for a day! 🙂
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I know, right?! If only…. Thanks for your comment. 🙂
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