Let's Pretend

My neice is 5 and says the funniest things, but often the funniest come out when she is playing 'Let's Pretend'. She pretends to be a catwalk model, she pretends to be a teacher, she pretends to be a mummy and she pretends to talk on a fake mobile phone.

The other day she was chatting away in an American accent in the back of my brothers car and he overheard her saying... Hold on a second, just checking my GPS... Underneath a smile my brother asked, what is GPS? She replied, oh don't worry it's something major that you just wouldn't understand.

This got me thinking about how pretending is different to other things that PEOPLE do. It isn't the same as lying, it isn't the same as being fake and neither is it the same as being two faced. Mainly because those things are seen as bad, but pretending isn't usually and of course no one actually knows that you are doing it.

It is something that we do alot as children, but as adults we do it too, sometimes it is to protect ourselves from an awkward conversation and other times it is to protect those that we care about. Pretending isn't usually malicious and I don't think it is something that we can say is wrong in every circumstance either. The following examples are meant to illustrate the point as opposed to stating things that I personally pretend about. They are meant to make you think about the fact that it is ok to pretend sometimes, as usually there is a good reason behind it, it makes life a little easier and the consequences of pretending are rarely negative.

We PRETEND we are OK.
We PRETEND we are not embarrased.
We PRETEND the food was lovely.
We PRETEND we are not scared.
We PRETEND to like work.
We PRETEND that some things don't matter.
We PRETEND to like our in laws.
We PRETEND that that conversation with our friend didn't happen.
We PRETEND to understand things that we don't.
We PRETEND we didn't see someone when we did.
We PRETEND we are not bothered.
We PRETEND to be enjoying ourselves.
We PRETEND to be happy about things when we are not.

I am sure that everyone reading this can think of a time when they pretended like this and I am positive that mostly there was a good reason for it and that no malice was intended. I am also sure that in doing so, some PEOPLE will have questioned your motives, had they known your were pretending.

There are times when it is not ok to pretend as the outcome is not harmony but hurt.

If you PRETEND to love someone when you don't.
If you PRETEND to be a friend when you are not.
If you PRETEND you care when you don't.
If you PRETEND you are someone you are not.

Let's Pretend.....