“The imagination is a muscle. If it is not exercised, it atrophies.”
— Neil Gaiman
Simplified Meaning:
Your imagination works like a muscle in your body. If you don't use it regularly, it gets weak and less effective. Think about when you don't exercise your body – your muscles get smaller and you feel less strong. Similarly, if you don’t use your creativity and curiosity, they fade away. Consider this example: imagine a person who used to love drawing as a child. They would often create fantastic pictures and invent characters. However, as they grew older and got busy, they stopped drawing. Years later, when they try to draw again, they find it very difficult. They struggle to come up with ideas and feel frustrated. This happens because they stopped exercising their imagination. To keep our imagination strong, we should read, engage in creative hobbies, solve problems in new ways, or even just daydream. By doing these activities, we keep our imagination active and healthy. Even simple things like making up stories or doodling can help. If you consistently use your imagination, like you would exercise your body, it stays strong and can bring joy and new ideas into your life.