by Shannon Stockdale-Elftman
What is whimsy, really? The problem is whimsy is hard to pin down. It’s much like that oft-misunderstood quote concerning pornography. “I’ll know it when I see it.” Ironically, when we think about whimsy in storytelling we tend to favor children’s stories. James and the Giant Peach, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willows, and other classics, as well as more modern fare. Children have, supposedly, cornered the market on whimsy. Is this because we associate whimsy with childish wonders, frivolity, light-hearted adventures, and humor? Not the realm of adulthood, where our fears and anxieties rule the day.
Another quote—I collect them. Yes, I know how that sounds. “Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.” Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. gets to the crux of my point. We should all be embracing whimsy, in whatever way we might define it.
Let me take a side quest here and ask, how much media have you consumed in the last year aimed at self-improvement? Or at increasing your creativity? At deepening your connections, your empathy, your sense of well-being? The deluge of contentment content becomes overwhelming at times, doesn’t it? There are planners and journals to buy. Apps to quiet our mind, guided meditation gurus that take American Express, podcasts and sycophants and social media influencers. The very pursuit of joy has been bogged down in toxic positivity and tied with the gaudy bow of capitalism.
Sometimes these advice givers remind us to play. Julia Cameron, for example, stressed the importance of play to the creative process. And I don’t know about you, but there are times I’ve looked at that advice and rolled my eyes. Play is all well and good, in theory, but what am I supposed to do, go climb those dome shaped metal contraptions from my childhood? Out of luck there. Turns out kids are discouraged from breaking bones and requiring tetanus shots almost as much as adults. Well, at least kids these days.
Sometimes these joy gurus will try to give you some pointers. See, what you need is to visit a strange city and just explore, to pick up a hobby that speaks to your inner child, to take risks. This advice only applies to the people who have the money and time to do this. Sure, if you can afford some play-centered adult retreat (that sounds dangerously close to obscene, doesn’t it?) then I’m happy for you. In fact, I honor your creative free spirit. But, the truth is, many of us aren’t in that position (no pun intended). So, what are us plebs to do?
Well, embrace whimsy for a start. And it’s out there, even for people who think themselves too serious for such flippant entertainment. Especially if you think yourself too serious. Whimsy is out there waiting to be found, and, unlike the skittish colt of joy or the sloth of contentment, whimsy is obtainable on a daily basis. And you don’t need to spend more than the price of a book (or visit your local public library—the true collectors of joy and whimsy).
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Author Bio
Shannon Stockdale-Elftman is a Features Writer for Page Turner Magazine. Shannon is a wanderer in the Midwestern wild, a teacher, and dreamer. She is approaching her final thesis semester in Emerson’s Popular Fiction and Publishing MFA program in the fall of 2024. Her thesis project is entitled The Fated Forest and is Northern Exposure meets Welcome to the Night Vaile with a dash of Narnia thrown in for flavor. Shannon lives in Indiana with her husband, four children, and a TBR pile that constantly threatens to fall on her.
