Four Year Old Magic

Me in super cool pink glasses I picked out for myself

“Mom, mom,” I exclaimed, while wheeling my tricycle all over the kitchen. “I want to go to Disney Land. That's my dream.”

“Maybe someday,” she replied calmly. “Disney Land costs a lot of money.”

The phone ringing interrupted our conversation and my mom left to answer it.

When she came back, she had an odd expression on her face: “Apparently our friends from Arizona have an extra ticket to go to Disney Land. They want you to go with them.”

As our boat glided through the water, my eyes widened. It was mostly dark except for glimpses of treasure in the water. Gun shots rang out, and I startled in fright as we passed figures of pirates who loomed by the sides of our boat.  I clutched my lollipop close to myself to keep it safe from being stolen as we progressed through the terrifying passageway. I closed my eyes and shrank away, frightened that I was about to be murdered by pirates. When I opened my eyes next, we were in a restaurant eating lunch far away from the terrifying passageway. I was glad I was still alive. So happy was I, that when we walked back outdoors, and I spotted Goofy nearby, I ran up to him and gave him a hug.

“I want you to have my postcard,” I insisted.

“For me?” Goofy said, pointing at himself, and complied by taking the postcard I was waving at him.

I smiled at him: “For you.”

Going up on the Dumbo ride brought shrieks of protest from me: “Why do I have to sit on an adult's lap?” I exclaimed, quite self-assured at how grown up I knew myself to be, “It isn't fair!”

And as usual I received the typical adult comment of, “Life isn't fair. Get over it.”

Disneyland parade

Even now that I am much older I still cannot help but feel sorry for younger children over the unfairness of life. I suppose I have a better memory of the injustices of being little than most older people do. But I also have a more vivid memory of the magical events that happen at the most unexpected times. I have never been able to lose my ability to see magic everywhere, even outside the scope of a world built off of fantasy.