An Imaginary Call to Holiness

Cristin, the 5 year old in the middle, has a very elaborate and intricate network of imaginary relationships.

It started when she was only 20 months old. No that was not a typo. When Cristin was 20 months old Jimmy started Early Intervention preschool and she went from having him around all the time to him being gone 8am until 2pm on weekdays. She became lonely and compensated by creating an imaginary friend named Chip. Chip was her buddy for the year and then he disappeared when school let out for the summer. I did not think much of this, other than it seemed a little early.

Chip came and went for a while and then left completely when Cristin was 3. At this age she created Hentree, who remains the principle imaginary friend, but there is an extremely long supporting cast. I have trouble keeping track of them all but the ones I remember are Plency, Crunky, Punkin, Imaginary Brother, Good Melinda, and Bad Melinda (funny thing is Melinda was the first name of last year's teacher). Seriously, there are at least 10 more I can't remember.

The reason why it gets so confusing is because, much like a soap opera, from time to time, she kills them off at random. The cause of death is always something that she knows is dangerous like, "playing in traffic" or "sticking something in an electrical socket." Sometimes old ones that were killed off come back to life. It makes my brain hurt, especially when "Brother" is being naughty and I have to stop and figure out whether it is a real brother or imaginary one. It can be taxing when I get screamed at that Hentree is going to die in a car accident because I pulled out of the driveway before she was buckled.

I have come to accept that weird imaginary stuff is going to go down during the course of the day. However, I must say I was taken aback today when Cristin came to me, dressed in her winter Sunday dress, informed me that it was a Holy Day for the imaginary people, and that she had to take Hentree to an imaginary Church named, "Praise". I was also informed that Punkin, Brother and Melinda were sick so her imaginary husband was going to stay home with them. The next thing I know, she is in her room, telling her REAL brother that he had to go to the cry room because he was too loud. I then heard her sing the Gloria and then the Great Amen. Then I heard her sing Joy to the World.

So apparently, the imaginary people are religious and they celebrate Christ's birth in July.