Sometimes, You Have To Believe…

…Or at least suspend your disbelief.

The other day, I was reading something on the internet that featured a photograph. The photo happened to be of one of the black sand beaches in Iceland, with large chunks of ice on the beach.
(The photo in question was similar to this one here, which is (obviously) not my personal photo.)

Under the article, of course, there were comments, and many of the comments turned to the *issue* of the photograph (which, really, was secondary to the point of the article). There were a lot of people who were *justifying* the photo, either by saying "photoshop!" or that it was a negative of the original (and that the sand was actually white and those were rocks).

…

People who've perhaps have never been outside their own sphere?
I have been to Iceland. I have seen such beaches. What's more, when in Iceland, I was willing to suspend my disbelief and enjoy, "be local" and just for a minute believe in elves and fairies and "hidden people." Why? Because it is FUN, it is FUN to believe in the (seemingly) impossible, because there by… anything is possible …and you don’t limit yourself. Because, maybe I do not know everything, and there are things that may only be possible if we are open to them being possible.
(Let’s put this is perspective as to where I am coming from; I have written on this before, here.)
– Perhaps, some may say this makes me a little delusional, but I really do not mind. It makes me happy, it makes me possible.

However, I get very frustrated with that attitude of instant disbelief, of deniability.
That constant *search* for something logical, or just a ‘show me’ approach. Such an attitude leads to viewpoint where if you don’t believe it possible, it can’t exist.
My nephew is a good one for this. When I show him things, photos, even those taken long before the program was at everyone’s fingertips, he says “Photoshopped!”, even when it is not. It drives me mad.

Why is there a whole segment of the population that does this? I do not know.
Look, I am not saying you HAVE to believe in fairies and falling stars, but isn’t there a happy in-between?
We live in an instant culture, there is very little delayed gratification and so much instant gratification.

Remember waiting, Saving and earning… and affording your life?
Not beyond our means with credit cards that keep stretching.
When you saved for something and it had *value* to you.
A time before a discount mass-retailer made the 52in flatscreen available, on clearance, for $299, and we trampled each other to get there.
When it was ok to not have the absolute newest of everything.