Reverie, a delightful word which evokes pleasant thoughts and reflective dalliance transporting one into an alluring Eden. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “reverie” as: “daydream; the condition of being lost in thought;’ dictionary.com adds: “a state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing.” The latter definition reflects occasional lapses when in a relaxing, refreshing state, as by lying on a sofa, sitting in a recliner, or strolling through a forest. Reverie takes one to a happy place, if only temporary, to emerge refreshed and energized to tackle the tasks at hand.
The poet Emily Dickinson invoked reverie in a short poem:
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee —
One clover, and a bee,
And reverie,
The reverie alone will do
If bees are few.
When reading a poem or viewing an art painting, silence dominates. Like poet Dickinson, one may move inside the scene, to walk the paths, to watch the bees, to smell the flowers, adding some reverie within the static environment.
As children, I recall utilizing our imagination in may ways, as by pretending to be someone or something, or as by discovering patterns or shapes in the passing clouds, reverie at its best. As an adult, I occasionally bask in the memories of a happy childhood, a pause which serves to remove any stress or tension of the present.
What does one call a person in reverie? “Reverier” may work, except the term does not exist. “Daydreamer” works, but intimates some ne’er-do-well who floats thorough life without purpose, thus detracting from the allure of reverie. After all, reverie comprises much more than mere daydreaming.
Too much reverie, however, may distract the reverier, aka “reverie practitioner”, from completing important tasks, and possibly qualify as “Maladaptive Daydreaming”, which some Psychologists believe should be classified as a mental disorder. See “When Daydreaming Becomes a Problem.” (Wall Street Journal, May 16, 2016.)
Reverie remains a luxury that we can afford in measured, treasured moments, after our work is done.