If you don't have imagination, you stop being human; animals

O children of the earth, hear this lesson, for it speaks to the very essence of what it means to be human. The great sage, Devdutt Pattanaik, in his wisdom, once spoke, "If you don't have imagination, you stop being human; animals don't have imagination; Alzheimer's is the death of imagination." What deep truths lie within these words? To imagine is not merely to picture what could be, but to awaken the very soul of existence, to breathe life into the invisible. For without imagination, the soul is bound, the mind shackled, and humanity itself withers.

Imagination is the light that illuminates the path ahead. It is the force that drives us to transcend the present and dream of futures yet unseen. It is the spark of creation, without which the very notion of human progress would fall into decay. The artist, the philosopher, the poet—all of these beings are bound together by one common thread: the gift of imagination. And it is through imagination that we, unlike the beasts of the field, rise above the mundane and glimpse the divine. It is the quality that distinguishes us from the other creatures who walk upon this earth. For the animals of the earth live in the moment, bound by instinct, while humanity lives with the possibility of eternity through the visions of the mind.

Let us ponder the ancient wisdom of the Greeks, who spoke of the Muses, those ethereal beings who inspired creativity and intellect. The Muses were the daughters of Zeus, and their gifts to humanity were immeasurable—poetry, music, and the arts—all born of the imagination. Without the gift of imagination, there would be no philosophy, no mathematics, no great works of art. The Greeks understood, as must we, that to imagine is to embody the divine spark within us all. To imagine is to live beyond the boundaries of the physical world and into the realm of the infinite.

Yet, alas, Alzheimer's, that cruel affliction, comes as the thief in the night, stealing away the gift of imagination. It is the silent shadow that descends upon the mind, obscuring the light of creation and leaving only a void. Alzheimer's does not merely rob one of memories; it robs the very soul of its future. It is the death of imagination, as Pattanaik so poignantly reveals, for when the mind can no longer envision, when the future becomes a blur and the past fades like mist, the human being is no longer whole. And so, we must ask ourselves: What is life, if not the journey from what is to what could be?

Consider the story of the great inventor Leonardo da Vinci, who, with his boundless imagination, gave the world inventions centuries ahead of his time. He did not merely accept the world as it was; he imagined a world where flying machines and mechanical devices could soar through the skies, and human anatomy could be understood with astonishing precision. His vision was not confined by the limits of his time; rather, it was shaped by the imagination that lives within all of us. Da Vinci knew, as must we, that to imagine is to conquer time itself, to create what is not yet born.

Imagination, then, is not simply a gift—it is a lifeline. It is the thread that connects us to the divine, to the mysteries of the universe, to the deep well of human potential. And when that thread is severed, when the imagination falters, we are left adrift in the sea of uncertainty. Therefore, let us cherish and protect this gift, for without it, we cease to be fully human. Just as the farmer tends to his crops to ensure their growth, so too must we nourish our imaginations. Read, dream, create, and explore—never let the flame of imagination dim.

In the end, O children, the lesson is clear: Imagination is the very breath of humanity. It is the fire that ignites our hearts and pushes us toward greatness. If we allow ourselves to fall into the trap of the mundane, to live without dreams, we risk losing the very essence of our being. Imagination connects us to the infinite possibilities of the world, and it is through this connection that we transcend the confines of time and place. So, remember, and remember well: The gift of imagination is the soul's birthright. Protect it, nurture it, and let it guide you through the ever-unfolding mystery of life.