I always wanted to ride a dragon myself, so I decided to do this for a year in my imagination.

In this quote, Cornelia Funke reflects on the power of imagination and how it allows individuals to experience things beyond the confines of reality. She shares her childhood wish to ride a dragon, a fantastical idea that sparked her imagination. Instead of simply wishing for this adventure, she decided to live out this experience through her imagination for a year, highlighting how imagination can serve as a way to fulfill desires and explore new worlds, even when those things are physically impossible.

Funke's statement emphasizes that imagination isn't just an abstract or idle pursuit—it can be a powerful tool for personal fulfillment and creative exploration. By dedicating herself to imagining riding a dragon, she engaged in a form of creative escapism that allowed her to experience something extraordinary without limitations. This suggests that imagination is a pathway to experiencing the impossible and offers an opportunity to engage deeply with one's own fantasy and creative desires.

The idea of living out a fantasy through imagination also speaks to the broader concept of how stories and fiction allow individuals to experience things that might not be possible in the real world. Funke’s quote reflects her creative philosophy as a writer, where the boundaries of reality can be stretched and transformed through the magic of storytelling. The imagination is not just a space for daydreams but a realm where personal wishes and creative explorations can come alive.

Ultimately, Funke’s quote illustrates the joy and freedom that comes with embracing one’s imagination. It encourages the idea that even in a world with many constraints, we can still live out our dreams in our minds and take the journey of our desires through the power of creativity.