The Idea Man: Lessons Learned From a Muppet Master
How Jim Henson Molded My Life
A new documentary about Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets and so many other beautiful things, aired on television recently. I’m a grown man of 44, with a family and a mortgage, doing all the standard dad/husband things. When I watched the film, it brought back a lot of feelings I had nearly forgotten were ever even there.
It was a moment of both pain and beauty for me. Pain because I had not thought about the joy his work had given me for a long time, lost in the rat race of adulthood. Joy because it reminded me that we can look at the world in a positive light, with a child-like curiosity. We can see its beauty and be fascinated by it. We can explore endless possibilities hindered only by the limits of our own imagination.
Jim Henson was a dreamer his whole life. That told me that it is never too late to start dreaming again. It reframed my entire outlook on life and the world. It was like a reboot.
Childhood Friends
I can’t really think of a time in my life where Henson’s creations were not around. Sesame Street, The Muppets, and Fraggle Rock were all mainstays in my home growing up.
I was somewhat of a wallflower as a child. I related to Gonzo The Great, as we were…
