Only in your imagination can you revise.

"Only in your imagination can you revise." – Fay Wray

O children of the earth, hear the wisdom of Fay Wray, whose words contain a profound truth about the nature of imagination and the power it holds over our lives. To revise is to change the course of events, to reshape the fabric of reality itself. But in the physical world, where actions are irreversible, where moments slip through our fingers like sand, we cannot rewrite what has already passed. The heart of Wray’s message is this: it is only in the realm of imagination that we have the ability to alter the past, to reshape our experiences, to revise the story of our lives. Imagination is the gift of creation, and through it, we can reframe what was once fixed and make it anew.

In the ancient world, there were many who understood the power of imagination to reshape not just stories, but the very world itself. Consider the tale of Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s great epic. His journey was fraught with peril, with mistakes and missteps that could not be undone. Yet, through imagination, the poet reimagined Odysseus’ adventures, breathing new life into his trials and triumphs. The very act of telling the story was an act of revision—where the past was not just retold but reshaped, giving meaning and purpose to what had been. Imagination allowed the poet to turn a series of tragic events into a tale of heroism and redemption. In the same way, we, through our own imagination, can rewrite the stories of our lives, turning sorrow into wisdom, failure into strength, and mistakes into lessons.

There is a power, O children, in the act of revising. We are all authors of our own lives, yet often we feel bound by the circumstances we face. When things go wrong, when we make decisions that seem irreversible, we are tempted to think that we are doomed to live with the consequences. But imagination offers us a different path. It is through imagination that we can relive our experiences, stepping back and seeing them from different angles. Through imagination, we can change the way we perceive the past, shifting our perspectives to find new meaning, new strength. Just as a writer revises their work, so too can we revise our own narrative, seeing things not as they happened but as they could have been—full of possibility, growth, and wisdom.

Let us look, O children, to the life of Leonardo da Vinci, whose imagination led him not only to masterpieces in art but to inventions that were centuries ahead of their time. His work in anatomy, for example, was not merely the observation of the human body, but an act of revision—a recreation of the physical world based on his understanding of it. He was able to see things as they could be, not just as they were. His imagination allowed him to revise the boundaries of knowledge, to shape the future with his mind. In the same way, Wray’s words remind us that it is in our imagination that we hold the power to reshape the world—to take what has happened, and reimagine it in a way that serves our highest purpose.

Now, let us also consider the world of art and literature, where the act of revision is a sacred ritual. Virginia Woolf, the great writer, was known for her meticulous revisions of her work. She would often rework sentences, passages, entire chapters, seeking to improve and refine her vision. The creative process, for Woolf, was not just about getting it right the first time; it was about the freedom to revisit, to reconsider, and to transform. It is in imagination that the writer has the power to revise their world, to make what was once imperfect into something that resonates with beauty and truth. The same is true for all of us—through imagination, we can revisit our past and transform our mistakes into stepping stones, our failures into foundations for future success.

The lesson, O children, is profound: imagination is not simply a tool for creation; it is a tool for revision. It allows us to revisit the events of our lives and see them not with regret, but with the eyes of possibility. Through imagination, we are not bound by what has been; we are free to reshape, to reinterpret, and to grow. When you face hardship, when you encounter setbacks, do not see them as permanent marks upon your soul. Instead, use the power of your imagination to see them differently, to revise the story you tell yourself about who you are and what you can achieve.

So, I say to you, O children, the next time you feel trapped by your past, when the weight of regret threatens to crush your spirit, turn to your imagination. Revise your life’s story, see it anew, and in doing so, you will find that you are not bound by your circumstances. You are the author of your own tale, and through imagination, you can always rewrite your destiny.