This year has seen a plethora of movies portraying various comic book and otherwise iconic superheroes, in all sorts of situations and for every age and persuasion of fan.  It’s not just in theatres either; visit any store and see merchandise ranging from tee shirts to bedsheets to action figures designed for all ages.  Why are these things so alluring?

Whether the abilities come from a freak accident or scientific genius, birthright or endowment from an alien race; the idea of superpowers appeals to us on an innate level.  Who wouldn’t want to be a superhero if they could?

Each of us in our own way sometimes yearns for something beyond ourselves.  We wish for the chance to control our own destinies.  We want to be “empowered” to act, to change things, to help or improve.  Of course, it isn’t possible to actually make ourselves into super-powered beings, but there is a part of us, our “inner child” if you will, that wants to fantasize, to dream.  And what would you dream about, if you could do anything?

Photo credit: elviskennedy via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

I asked my daughter first, what kind of superpower she would like to have, and she hardly needed to think about it at all before she replied, “control of the elements.”  She would like to be able to control earth, air, water, and fire so she could “have fun, save people, and be awesome.”  Sounds good, right?  To be able to control your environment, and everything around so that you could do whatever you choose.

My husband had to think about it a little longer.  He wanted to “sling webs” first, then fly like Superman, then control minds.  Those are vast and reaching abilities, certainly.  What could you not do with gifts like those?

Myself, I think I would like to have telekinesis, the ability to manipulate objects.  It would be so much easier to run my daily life; it would be like having a thousand extra sets of hands to do my work.

Of course, these are all fantasies, and unlikely in the extreme.  However, that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to dream, and go watch movies where dreams may come to life.  Not only is it fun to see such things on the screen or in a comic book, but it’s cathartic to simply dream the impossible, to feed that innate sense of wonder that all children show, and still exists deep in our hearts.

So channel your inner child, and take time to dream.  What superpower would you have?

Until next time,

Amy