Date: 09 March 2011 09:40:35
My daughter has begun creating a paracosm - an imaginary world. I hadn't heard the word until @infpblog mentioned it on Twitter this morning, and I realised it was exactly what Rosie has engaged herself in over the past few days. She's often done this to some extent but the sheer detail is unusually well-realised this time. It should be. A paracosm is often highly complex, created by the child as a way of processing an early loss. That rings bells. The breakdown of our marriage and all of the great changes it prefigures have weighed heavily on her 9yr-old shoulders.
I find Rosie's world fascinating, and so does she. It's also deeply reassuring for me as her Dad to see that she has the creativity and smarts necessary for such a process. I originally wanted to title this post "Escape", but I'm not sure that does her credit. There's a certain relief in the richness and possibility of the creative experience but it's hardly about distraction. This is about her confronting issues the best way she knows how. It's brave and hopeful and full of promise, and I'm so proud of her I almost want to join in!
(I won't , don't worry. If I can get her permission, though, I'll tell you a little about the place and the people who live there soon.)