Imagination is more important than knowledge?

Albert Einstein was an incredibly wise man and one of the things he said was “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

This art program is focused on bringing imagination into the rural schools of Nepal where children do not have this experience. I believe that color gives hope and it allows children to dream and believe. Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. Can you imagine a world where you never had a crayon or your children never experienced the joy of color? People always say they are only one person and they cannot do much. But this is such a simple idea and thought, but yet it can make such a big impact on the children. On this trip I would like to spend more individual time with children working on smaller projects. I also want to give workshops to the teachers in these remote areas and show them how they could use local and recyclable materials to bring art into the schools. At some schools children did not even know how to hold a crayon to color; it was such a foreign concept to them. When I would tell some children to draw a specific picture they had no idea of where to start, they had such fear of trying. But they were so eager to copy what you drew and soon enough they started doing it themselves. All it takes is for us to give them the positive reinforcement that you cannot do it wrong as each picture is your own imagination.

Each and every one of us can make a difference in the world. I too am just one person, hold multiple part time jobs and most of the time never know how I am going to get the money together for my flights back to Nepal or how to raise the funds for the projects. But the world is an amazing place with beautiful people and big hearts. Somehow it has always worked out and I feel truly blessed to be a part of the journey.

Have faith in that which you believe and others will see it too. I breathe this project every day of my life and I know that step by step we can slowly set up a program that will be effective and make a difference. Have to smile at myself as I am learning as I go along as I have no training and have never done anything like this before. When I started two years ago I had no idea of exactly what it was I was going to do, or how I was going to do it. The building renovations were a hair pulling experience and I know for sure not something I want to focus on again.

All I know for sure is, follow your dreams, but be prepared to sacrifice as it is not an easy road. Tears, disappointment, heartbreak and lots of frustration can be a part of that journey, but once you move through that it is so worthwhile. Don’t get stuck in fear and don’t ever lose your imagination and ability to dream, as without that who are we?