It all started with Critter. We think the idea for Critter came from a t-shirt that Luke had with a beaver on it and the words, "Wood you be mine." I truly loved Critter. He was the typical imaginary friend. Both a playmate and a scapegoat, he was always around. He went on trips to the arctic, could fly, lived up in a cloud when he wasn't hanging out with Luke, and had a HUGE family. He slept with Luke and often required some attention at bedtime. He fit in Luke's palm, and loved to be pet. Critter was a big part of our lives for a few years. Once Luke saw Star Wars, however, Critter left for his cloud almost overnight. I miss him.
Star Wars blew Luke's mind. For several months, our gentle, bug loving boy went from snuggling Critter to only wanting to play games with battles, watch movies with battles, and talk about... battles. But the most important effect Star Wars had on his young psyche was the idea of an alternate universe. He quickly adopted his own universe, which closely mirrored Star Wars, with names and places slightly tweaked. He placed himself as the central figure, and began escaping for hours into his own mind.
The Star Wars craze was followed by Harry Potter, which has now been replaced by the Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology. As each obsession is replaced by the next, his immersion into the world of his imagination has become deeper and deeper. At this point Luke will lay on his back for HOURS, feet up in the air, narrating the goings on of his universe. When he doesn't have enough down time during the day, he has to check in with his world before he can go to bed. He updates us on the happenings of his universe constantly, funny things someone has said or done, great battles that have been won, the weather. "Tell you somethin'" is what he says when he's about to let you know what's going on in his world.
So that's Luke - he's a dreamy, obsessive, sensitive, stubborn, independent kid. A kid who's imagination is just as important to him as breathing. His family, with the exception of his amazingly practical and fact-driven sister, finds his universe fascinating. Autry is always willing to play "Luke's universe." His preschool teacher was moved to tears last year talking about how much she loved his imagination, and him. Here's my worry (because there always has to be a worry). He starts public school kindergarten in exactly one month. There will be no time for hours of laying around with his feet up in the air. He will be in a classroom with 18 other kids who are not a part of his universe. He has a hard time not talking about it, he will tell complete strangers if they'll listen. Most kids will probably think he's weird when he waxes poetic about his love for Aphrodite. I really don't know how he's going to do. I know and like his teacher, she is a loving and enthusiastic woman, however she will not have the time to constantly let him "tell her somethin'." I know I'm being dramatic, but the thought of his universe going the way of Critter just breaks my heart.
